


Sons of the Night

by CMAeris



Series: World with Two Sons [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman Beyond, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-09
Updated: 2012-03-10
Packaged: 2017-11-01 16:30:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 97,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/358931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CMAeris/pseuds/CMAeris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone, everything has to start from somewhere at some point. They're no different. One Cadmus created and one by the League of Assassins. What do they both have in common? They share his blood. The blood of Batman.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Training Projects

                  Everyone and everything started from somewhere at some point. With Cadmus, they started on multiple experimentations on eugenics and cloning. The most notable was Project Beyond. Rather than using the genetics from meta-humans or powerful beings like Superman, Project Beyond was created with genetics from Batman. His DNA was easily obtained from battle sites where he left them, but after tampering and manipulating the genetic coding, only half of the original DNA remained. 

                  In a sense, Project Beyond was a son of Batman. Devoid of defects and mutations, the child produced by Project Beyond was solely meant to serve Cadmus whether in espionage or in battle. A child produced with supernatural means would’ve been hard to control, not to mention the hubris of being more than human. Cadmus ensured that he could be eliminated if he was to defect.

                  Project Beyond was officially given life after two years of experimentation. The child produced was male with traits of black hair and blue eyes. At the first sign of comprehension, the start of the child’s education was immediate. From mystery literatures like Sherlock Holmes to the brainteasers and crosswords in the Sunday Times, the boy was trained in the art of investigations and mind work. The goal was for him to obey his superiors and surpass Batman, but it was to be seen whether he was to succeed him or destroy him.

                  Simultaneously, another son of Batman was in the making. Unlike Project Beyond, it was not preceded by Cadmus nor was the goal of the child’s creation to replace Batman. Rather a weapon, this other boy was created as an heir. Ras al Ghul, in his search for the perfect heir, found Batman. Though he was unable to draw the man into his ranks he opted for the next best option. He will use this man to create his perfect heir. With assistance from his daughter, Talia, the League of Assassins managed to obtain semen samples and proceeded with in vitro fertilization. 

                  Like Project Beyond, the child produced was male with similar traits and at the moment of comprehension, he too was drawn into training. However, unlike the other he was not trained in the matters of the mind. Instead, he was trained in body and spirit. Fully capable of killing a full-grown man before he could even read. It was uncertain if he would succeed his grandfather as planned, but one thing is for certain, by blood he and Project Beyond are sons of the night. 

****

                  “Your progress is coming along nicely. Your theoretical and practical training is superb. However, we still need to test you in a real situation.” The scientist noted as they strolled down a bland hall.

                  The young boy tilted his head curiously at the possibility of interacting with others aside from scientists. “Do I get any information of the subjects I’m to meet?”

                  “You are to retrieve any and all information on your own. You have five weeks time. Your alias will be Jercopt Donbey.” Beyond raised a brow at the name; it was an anagram for Project Beyond. “I presume you’ve already deciphered what your name means.” The boy nodded. “You disclose nothing from your project.”

                  “Permission to freely create false history.” Beyond requested.

                  “The rules?” The scientist droned.

                  “Make it believable and inconspicuous.” He recited dutifully.

                  “You’re not limited to use whatever in the facility to your disposal. However, if it’s something the subjects are restricted from, you’re required to obtain them by your own means. You will not be given assistance at any point during the five weeks. Any other questions?”

                  “Anything is at my disposal, as long as I can access it myself without assistance correct?” A calculating look passed the boy’s face.

                  “If you are caught, you will be punished accordingly.” The scientist warned.

                  “As expected.” Beyond shrugged as they continued down the quiet halls.

                  “Then you begin immediately.” The scientist escorted him through a door.

                They arrived at the desert facility only hours ago. His time during the plane ride over was used to familiarize himself with the building’s general layout. From what he remembered, they were heading towards one of the many classrooms in the building. The scientist hadn’t said a word to him since the briefing and when he opened and entered the classroom, he followed without a question. His eyes darted about searching for the subjects he was to study. Two girls and three boys varying in ages, from preteen to adolescence.

                His attention shifted to the youngest of the group. Given she was the closest to his age; it would be easier for him to acquaint himself with her. Fair-skinned, dark hair it looked like the girl never saw sunlight in her life. Her face seemed to be frozen in misery staring aimlessly ahead. She sat rigid in her seat with her knees hugged against her chest. If he can get her to open up, retrieval work should be no problem, but this girl doesn’t seem to be the sociable type.

                “Your attention for a moment.” The majority of the group gave him an irritated look. The scientist continued. “You can return to your break after my announcement.”

                Not daunted in the least, he ignored the scientist’s announcements and shifted his attention to the second girl. Unlike the first in many ways, this girl had a healthy sun-kissed glow to her skin and blonde hair. She lounged in her seat lazily with her legs crossed as she chewed bubblegum and inspected her nails. She paid little to no attention to the scientist.

                “This young man is a new addition to your group. I expect you all to show the same courtesy to him as you do to each other.”

                “Ugh… another kid. Is he even out of diapers yet?” The bald youth drawled before gushing to Beyond in a mocking tone. “Aw, do you want your little bottle and your mommy?”

                 _Obnoxious and childish_. Beyond noted offhandedly, he’ll have to come back to him later.

                He shifted his attention to the remaining two. One was unconscious in a puddle of his own drool snoring while the other, of African decent, rested his arms on the desk in front of him. Since neither of them said anything, he couldn’t gather much information from them. What he gathered from the group as a whole, they were all physically fit and look well conditioned. Even the girls with their diminutive forms showed signs of daily physical training.

                “I’ll leave you all to acquaint with one another, class will resume in ten minutes.” The scientist said before he left through the door. Beyond quickly took a seat next to the miserable girl to avoid standing in a stupor. He had some trouble, as the seats were much higher than the ones he normally used.

                “So kid, what are you in here for?” The baldy asked.

                “Huh?” He haven’t a clue who his subjects were, much less why they were there.

                “Powers kid, get on with the program. What powers did they drag you in for?” He sighed.

                 _They’re meta-humans._ He mentally smiled at this detail. _My real test is to infiltrate a group of metas and have them believe I’m one of them._

                While this was considerably more challenging than his usual routines, this was not impossible for his skill level and stature. It was Cadmus’ test to see if he was ready for fieldwork in the future.

                “They said I can manipulate computer software and disrupt e-elect-tro something frequency.” Beyond stumbled over his words to hide behind his physical age.

                The baldy snorted. “Great we have a geek among us.”

                 _Narrow minded…_ He pouted childishly. “I didn’t choose it! Like you have cooler powers!”

“Of course I do.” The bald youth chuckled as he reached out a hand in front of Beyond’s face. A pulse of heat made him quickly step back before a ball of fire appeared in the other’s hand. “Cool huh?”

                  “Knock it off Ricky! You’re going to set off the sprinklers. If you get me wet again, I’m going to kill you!” The blonde girl snapped.

                  “It happened only once, Gwen!” Ricky retorted. “It was just once!”

                  “So what’s your name kid?” The dark muscular youth asked, ignoring the arguing pair.

                  “Jercopt Donbey.” Beyond responded.

                  The squabbling duo paused in their argument before turning their attention back to them. “Wait, what did you say your name was?” Ricky asked.

                  “Jercopt Donbey.” He repeated. The trio stared at him for a brief second before they cracked up laughing.

                  “What kind of name is that?” Ricky held his sides laughing. “Man, I want to know what your parents were on. Should I call you Jerky? Or Cop?”

                  “That’s possibly the worst name ever!” The dark youth pounded the desk, waking the sleeping young man from his sleep.

                  “Quit pounding the table Mark! I’m trying to sleep.” He mumbled as he tried to go back to sleep, but quickly noticed the puddle he slept in and sat up in disgust. “Ah gross… What are you guys laughing at?”

                  “Chris, you won’t believe this, the kid’s name is Jercopt!” Mark said before the newly awaken Chris cracked up laughing with the rest of them.

                  Beyond lowered his head, mentally reviewing what little information he’s gotten as he waited for them to finish their hysterical laughter. He wasn’t given much time to ponder when a soft voice spoke up.

                  “Quiet.” Despite the softness of her voice, the group silenced immediately. 

                  They seem terrified of her. He noted the girl was the only one that didn’t join in their laughter. Logically they shouldn’t be afraid of a girl younger and smaller than them. Unless, she was more powerful than all of them.

                  “Lighten up Anna, we’re just kidding, have some—” Ricky was silenced by Gwen when she clamped a hand over his mouth.

                  “We’ll stop laughing.” She said seriously. “So please calm down.”

                  _Calm down?_ Beyond glanced over to the girl Anna. On a casual glance, nothing seemed to be out of place. However, when he kept his attention slightly longer on the girl, he noticed the slight flare in her hair and the stagnant stillness surrounding her. _A telepath._

                  “All right.” She whispered.

                  Things eventually settled, but the group was still on high alert. Their body remained tense as they returned to their laze break. All the while, Beyond pondered on how to approach the group as a whole. While Anna may be the most powerful and feared, it doesn’t mean he should solely concentrate on her and alienate the others. Even if she was considered the leader, it won’t win him any points with the group and he needed to be part of that group. He was here for information on all of them, not just her alone.

                  _The best way to approach them would be…_ Beyond forced the muscles on his face into a bright and cheery smile. “Do you want to be friends?”

                  His question startled the group. “Friends?” Anna whispered, uncertain if she heard him correctly.

                  “Yep! It’s going to be fun!” Beyond chirped brightly, the others stared at him in disbelief.

                  “…That sounds… nice…” The girl murmured.

                  _Playing the fool._ Beyond continued to smile brightly as he chattered on with questions about their classes, hobbies, likes and dislikes. None of them suspected him otherwise.

                  After his initial meeting with Project Meta, Beyond hadn’t attempted any further prying during the first week. Rather, he taken that time to explore and map out the facilities via air vents. Unlike the designs of many other buildings, the vents were considerably smaller. A full grown adult would have trouble maneuvering through the tight spaces. Fortunately, given his small stature, he’s able to maneuver with little to no difficulty. From the vents, he’s able to access nearly all the rooms in the facility, save for the security room and armory. Solid bars were in place to prevent any advances.

                  By the second week, he managed to calculate all the security shifts and used it as a chance to obtain equipment to produce his falsified meta-abilities. From the light switches to the security alarms, Beyond managed to produce enough havoc to convince the subjects of Project Meta that he had powers. All the while, this was the first time he was placed in physical conditioning. Exhaustion usually hits before he could do much retrieving work.

                  Third week, he started to inquire the subjects’ abilities and whatnots. Anna was indeed the most powerful in the group, being a psychic with no true weakness save for her control and stamina. The only effective counter against her was a limiter ring. The ring’s appearance was only on the days she was uncontrollable with her powers. Gwen and Ricky were tied in power. One was a metal manipulator and the other was a flame manipulator. The counter measure against these two would involve taking away the raw materials they were working with or introducing their counter elements such as wood and water. Mark possessed invulnerability and super strength; the only down side seemed to be his fast metabolism. The weakest was Chris, given his only ability was to stretch slothfulness was his downfall due to lack of effort.

                  In the fourth week, Beyond started testing the subjects and their limits. With careful preparations each prank was executed to expertly against each of the subject’s tolerance in various situations. He found the best responses were from sneaking the security’s stash of unhealthy snacks and sweets to the group. At the same time, he exercised his stealth and theft.

                  When the fifth and final week came around, Beyond had long finished his observations over his subjects. Their likes, their dislikes, their strengths, their weakness and their fears, he knew them all. When the scientists overseeing this integration attempt saw Beyond’s performance exceeding their expectations they were ecstatic. Unfortunately, the integration project never came to completion. On the last day of the five-week trail an incident occurred.

                  Beyond was in the vents typing up the reports on his five subjects when it happened. A strange laugh echoed down the halls. The security alarms roared. Closing his laptop and tucking it safely against his chest, he crawled through the vents to see what caused the commotion.

                  “Wooh-hoo-hoo! They’re having a welcoming party for us! Why don’t we give them a house warming present boys?” A man with green hair cackled maniacally as he pulled out red balls with his face painted on them.

                  “They’re over there!” The guards shouted as they approached with their weapons. Beyond peered through the gaps in the ventilation grid with his hand firmly gripped against the metal.

                  “Come now! Have a laugh!” The man laughed as he tossed red balls at their feet. The balls promptly exploded engulfing them in a pink gas.

                  The men coughed and hacked at the assault, but soon they stopped and started laughing uncontrollably. Beyond felt a chill go through him as he watched them collapse to the ground giggling themselves to death. He knew who this strange green-haired man was. It was impossible for him not to. In all the previous exercises the scientists had given him, Joker’s files were most memorable in a sick sense. He was a man that killed in the name of boredom. Life and death meant little to him.

                  “Er… boss, where are we going now?” He noted a slow Hench following the man with a camera.

                  “Why! We’re going to get some new friends and possibly some new toys too!” The clown cackled as he strolled through the halls with a skip to his step. “Come along, let’s make more people smile.”

                  Even as the Joker left, Beyond found himself unable to move from his spot. He was unable to break his attention away from the men that laughed themselves to death on the ground below. This was the first time he witnessed death. He read plenty of murder cases and even seen pictures of such, but to actually people dying? It was horrifying. He found his hands trembling as he forced himself to move again. The Joker was here for something. No one in their right mind would attack a government facility even if they were insane.

                  _There’s nothing here worth stealing. We’re in the middle of the desert. What is he after?_

Beyond crawled through the vents as quietly as he could. When he reached a conjunction in the vent, he realized what the Joker was after. He gritted his teeth and he turned at the next opening and crawled towards the classrooms. _He’s after Project Meta!_

                  He maneuvered through the narrow space in a hurry. It was still early; the group of metas should be in the classroom for their joint classes rather than their individual training routines. His assumptions were correct. Unfortunately, the Joker reached them before he managed to get there.

                  “Well! What a pleasant surprise! Hello kiddies!” He greeted them with a flourish.

                  “Who the hell are you supposed to be?’ Ricky said rudely. From what Beyond could hear, they don’t take Joker as a threat. Either they were stupid, or they have no clue to who this green-haired maniac was.

                  “I’m the Joker, but you kiddies may call me Uncle J.” He drawled with affection dripping from his voice. Beyond continued to inch forward quietly as the metas spoke with the man. “How would you like to leave this boring old place with Uncle J, hmm?”

                  “What’s in it for us?” Chris snorted. “What makes going with you any different compared to staying here?”

                  “Simple my dear boy.” He clapped his hands together.” You come with me, you get freedom. No more people bossing you around telling you what you can do, what you have to do. You can use your powers however you like. Of course, I’ll be supplying you with a place to stay and some new clothes. Heaven knows this place is not the best choice of living space. So, what do you say?”

                  “What’s the catch?” Gwen challenged.

                  “Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Joker clucked his tongue sadly. “My dear, don’t tell me you actually enjoy being harassed by these people and serving them like the dogs they want you to be. After all, Uncle J here only wants what’s best for you and in return I would like you to help Uncle J like a family would.”

                  Beyond frowned as he neared vent opening to peer down at the group. He could see the thoughtful looks on the group. They were actually considering his offer. The Joker had a friendly arm draped around Anna, her expression remained unchanged.

                  “How about you cupcake? Want to come with Uncle J? I bet it must be lonely here with all these old grumps. We’ll have so much fun without them.”

                  _Don’t do it Anna!_ Beyond found himself thinking as his hands rested over the grates.

                  “…We’ll play games together?” Anna asked quietly.

                  “Everyday my dear.” He gave a broad smile. “So what do the rest of you say?”

                  _Idiots!_ Beyond gritted his teeth as each and every one agreed. In his irritation, he accidentally scratched his nails against the metal surface.

                  “What was that?” Joker snapped with a frown.

                  “What was what, boss?” The Hench asked dumbly.

                  Beyond mentally cursed at his carelessness and shuffled backwards in haste, hoping they wouldn’t find him. Unfortunately, the Joker was not careless.

                  “Shoot the vents!” He ordered. At that, Beyond’s heart dropped. He attempted to hasten his pace, caring less that he was giving himself away. If he didn’t get out, they’re going to kill him.

                  “Yes boss!” The Hench replied as he opened fire.

                The barrage of bullets pierced through the metal panels. Beyond bit back a scream as one ricocheted into his calf. His eyes tear from pain. He took a deep shaking breath he continued to drag himself towards the next junction. It won’t do if the Hench stuck his head into the vents and found him. It was unbearable, such pain.

“Did you get it?” Joker’s voice echoed through the vents.

                  “Uh… there was nothing there boss.”

                  Joker sighed irritably. “Probably rats. More the reason why we should leave immediately, such horrible conditions are not worth living in. Now, since we’re a family, how about new names?”

                  Anything else the Joker might have said was ignored as Beyond fought his racing heart and the pain in his leg as he dragged himself through the vents. It’s hard to think straight. He’ll have to worry about himself first. Project Meta will just have to wait. From the lack of resistance, he concluded that there wasn’t anyone alive or capable of coming to his assistance.

                  He found himself concentrating on the pain to ignore the Joker’s uproarious laughter. He wasn’t sure if madman was still laughing or it lingering in his mind as a traumatic experience. He can psychoanalyze himself later. The infirmary was his only chance of survival. With no one else going after the Joker, he shouldn’t find the need to explore the facilities for threats.

                  What normally took him minutes to do seemed like a lifetime as he stumbled out of the vents and onto a bed in the infirmary. He gasped out in pain as he landed, his wound scraped against the bed coverings. Gritting his teeth, he dragged himself up and limped towards the medicine cabinet. While he was not trained in first aid, he knows better than to let himself bleed to death. It won’t do for him to die before he can call for help.

                  Grabbing what he could reach in his small stature, he quickly covered the wound and bound it tightly. The nurse of the infirmary was already dead with a smile on her face. He didn’t spare a second look at her as he limped back to the vents and crawled in. He wasn’t sure if the Joker was still around, but better than to chance with luck, he’d rough it through the vents until he can reach the security room. Of course, that means he needed to get around the barred off path. He would have to leave the safety of the vents and risk the open where Joker might find him.

                  _Wonderful._ He thought darkly as he crawled out of the ceiling vent, swinging himself onto a smiling corpse of the security staff. If his leg wasn’t injured, he could have tucked himself into a roll, but he had no choice if he didn’t want to injure himself further.

                  Wincing as he rolled off the guard, he frisked the body for keycards. From his previous escapades he already figured that the security system required both keycards and access codes. Codes, he already memorized. It took no more than a few seconds for him to get in. Inside were more smiling corpses.

Beyond frowned, the security for this room is considerably better compared to the rest of the compound. He would review all the video footage later to see how Joker managed such a feat. But for now, he needed to contact other Cadmus facilities for assistance while keeping an eye on the Joker’s whereabouts. 

                  “Hello?” A man answered on the other line.

                  “There’s been an infiltration, Joker has killed—”

                  “Very cute kid, try prank calling someone else.” The man sounded like he was going to hang up.

                  Beyond scowled irritably. “Access code, M29- PB13-AR51. Cadmus project site override.” He barked out. “Joker has infiltrated the premises. All personnel down. Project Meta defected. Repeat, Joker has infiltrated the premises. All personnel down. Project Meta has defected. Requesting assistance.”

                  “Copy that.” The man replied hesitantly. “Identity code?”

                  “Project Beyond.” He responded.

                  “Understood, assistance will arrive as soon as possible.” The man noted.

                  That was five hours ago. During the five hours, Beyond reviewed and made note of what happened. The Joker had simply used his Joker venom to disable the whole facility. The gas spread through the ventilation units. He was fortunate that the shaft he was blown in the opposite direction.

                  He watched as the Joker spoke with Project Meta. They were all renamed and doted on him. If he didn’t know the man was a psychopath, he might’ve mistaken it for a normal scene. Project Meta was now the Royal Flush Gang. After revising his initial report of Project Meta, he found himself furious at his own failure, his own hubris. 

He thought he was invincible. Even if he failed, Cadmus wouldn’t let him get hurt or even die, but today it was different. The Joker was not part of their plans. Unknown threats were not calculated into his safety and protection. He was mortal, just as everyone else.

                  With Project Meta, he acted boldly, not caring for his own safety. They could have crushed him, killed him at their own whims and he wouldn’t have been able to do a damn thing. Beyond broke out of his thoughts when he saw movements on the camera. Reinforcement from Cadmus arrived. He unlocked the security systems for their easy entrance before waiting for them to pick him up.

                  “Project Beyond?” One of the many scientists entered with caution.

                  “You’re late.” He strained. “I’ve already processed the footages of Project Meta’s defection and a completed a full report on them. Everything you need to know is already composed and ready…”

                  “You’ve done wonderfully Beyond.” The man placed a hand on his shoulder, before noticing the blood on his leg. “My god, you’re injured!”

                  “Ricochet…” He managed to murmur before he finally blacked out from exhaustion.

                  Cadmus shipped him off for medical attention immediately. His reports were reviewed and he waited for their evaluation. Beyond was placed through rehabilitation, unable to go anywhere without his wheelchair until his leg was healed. Despite his injuries, the world continues without him. Strangely, his evaluations never came, but a week after the raid he was approached during his meal.

“Beyond, we need you to overlook a situation.” A scientist came with two guards.

                  “What situation?” He lowered his utensils slightly at the urgency in the man’s voice.

                  “I’m quite certain you are familiar with Project Meta, or the newly named Royal Flush Gang.”

                  “What of them?” He asked curiously.

                  “Put this on.” Beyond recognize the helmet being handed to him as the same one used to ward off Anna’s powers. Whatever the situation is, it involved her. “I’ll explain as we get there.”

                  He was carted off through the facilities and into another room while informing him the situation in Las Vegas. The Joker planted multiple bombs in the city and the Justice League was dealing with the newly formed Royal Flush Gang. The room he was taken to had multiple screens, a computer and a mic for communication purposes. On the screen were conflicts between the Justice League and the Royal Flush Gang in between Joker’s commentaries.

                  “Tell everyone to stop watching this instant.” Beyond started with a whisper. He was unable to find his voice at seeing the Joker again. Even in his dreams, that man’s laugh haunts him.

                  “What?”

                  “Tell everyone to stop watching the program! He’s going to be using Anna’s ability to drive the entire populace mad!” He snapped out.

                  “He’s going to what?” The scientist repeated in disbelief.

                  “This farce with the bombs is nothing more then the red herring, his real goal is to use Anna to drive everyone mad.”

                  “Are you certain?” The man asked.

                  “The longer someone watches this, the less of a chance they’ll break away from Anna’s power, get everyone to stop watching right now!” Beyond ordered as motored his wheelchair over to the screens with the remote.

                  “Keep monitoring, the mic and computer there is connected to the communications. Keep us informed of the situation.”

                  “But what of my voice—”

                  “There’s a voice changer already programmed into the system, they will listen to you.” The scientist informed him as he turned to leave. “We’ll have an alert sent out. You just keep us informed! And try to locate the broadcasting signal.”

                  Without another word, Beyond returned to the screens with rampant attention. He already knew the Joker’s intentions were nothing but deranged self-enjoyment. Inducing madness to the masses was a cheap kick for him. Project Meta was nothing more than another stepping-stone for him. He watched as the familiar faces of his previous subjects came up again and again.

 Ricky was King, Gwen was now Queen, Mark was Ten, Chris was Jack and Anna was Ace. They all seemed happy with their new lives, all but Anna. She looked as miserable as she was before she left. His guess was that nothing had changed for her unlike the others. Still, he felt somewhat delighted to see them despite the circumstances.

                However, the others weren’t fairing as well as they hoped. Gwen was taken down early on by the Thanagarian named Hawkgirl. It was no surprise, this Hawkgirl was most likely trained for combat, while Gwen was trained in metal manipulation. She was nowhere ready for combat compared to the Justice League.

                “Subject Gwen, now named Queen was taken out by Justice Leaguer Hawkgirl. Bomb has ignited in casino, casualty possibly Leaguer Green Lantern.” He relayed the messages as each event passed.

                Chris was taken out quite painfully; this Batman fellow had snagged him into the helicopter’s propeller and crashed the vehicle with him twisted into it.

                “Subject Chris, now Jack is taken out by Leaguer Batman. Camera feed disabled, no further reports on Jack.”

                Mark fought till the end until Superman melted a statue to keep him in his place. As for Ricky, he was possibly the only one with any sense as the clock ticked down dangerously. Seconds later, an explosion went off. Fortunately, the Flash from the Justice League had managed to divert the threat outside of the city.

                “Subject Mark, now Ten was disable and contained by Leaguer Superman. Subject Ricky, now King has fled. The bomb threat was diverted by Leaguer Flash.” He continued to report as Joker spoke again. “Joker has induced Subject Anna, now Ace’s abilities. Refrain from watching television at all costs.” 

                His hands glided over the keys as he attempted to triangulate the original broadcasting signals Joker was using. He was briefly distracted when an angry woman’s rant interrupted the Joker. She was silenced promptly and the Joker returned to his musings, but it didn’t last long. Batman appeared. 

                “Leaguer Batman has engaged Joker.” Despite all that was occurring, this Batman caught his curiosity. Out of all the Leaguers, only he had managed to find the Joker and engage him. Him, someone without superpowers, human, mortal, just like the rest of them. 

                He couldn’t help but paused in his work briefly to watch Batman fall to Anna’s powers. The man continued to fight even as he was over powered. He fell to his knees and crawled. While he was down, Joker had taken it upon himself to beat on the caped crusader with spotlights. Yet, Batman still rose again and again to face him, to defy him.

                 _Does this man have no fear?_ He pondered as the Joker plummeted his weapon to Batman’s skull, but the weapon never connected. Batman had pulled out a familiar ring from the Joker’s pocket. _The limiter._ Beyond recognized as the item in the gloved hand.

                Anna ceased her powers at the sight of the ring and risen with a scowl over her face. A wry grin crossed his lips at the fate Joker was about to face. “Subject Ace has ceased her psychic assault. Joker is disabled.” The sound of Joker screaming roared from the speakers, Batman was the only one remaining on the screen as the other two have walked off screen. The man moved a moment later, looking as if he was saying something, but it was too low, he was unable to hear what he had said.

**_Beep, Beep, Beep_ **

                  Beyond glanced back to his computer, the location of the broadcasting was found. “Location of the broadcasting is located. Forwarding coordinates immediately.” He finished before returning his attention to the screen one last time. Batman remained unmoving on the screen, but the threats were gone.

                  “Excellent work Beyond. As expected of your capabilities.” His caretakers greeted him later when the situation in Cadmus had calmed and receded.

                  “It was nothing… The Justice League seems to have done most of the work.” He commented before noticing a frown on their faces.

                  “Yes, they have managed to negate the threat. We have a new assignment for you Beyond.” The man added.

                  “New assignment?” He asked curiously.

                  “Special reconnaissance, with no actual fieldwork at the moment.” He informed.

                  Beyond raised a brow. “Would that be because of my age or my injuries?”

                  “Both.”

                  “I see… so what does this assignment entail?” Beyond asked.

                  “For the moment, you are to cover up any links of Project Meta back to Cadmus.”

                  _They want me to erase all traces of Project Meta._ He concluded before asking. “What of Project Meta? Were they retrieved?”

                  The scientist glanced back at his notes. “All but one. The one they called Ace seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Your workstation is being prepped as we speak, you’ll start tomorrow morning…”

                  _So Anna got away._ Beyond nodded as the scientist continued to list out his new duties. Despite all that happened, he found himself somewhat happy that Anna got away. Though, why he felt that way, he was uncertain.

 


	2. The Voice, The Vision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the events with Project Meta, Beyond gains a new name in Cadmus. However, when the adults disappeared in the world, he's faced with other children and questions about his existence in Cadmus festers in his mind.

                  One year since Project Meta’s defection Beyond was assigned to the Special Reconnaissance department. While his age exempted him from active field duty, his technical and detective skills were continually exercised in place. Using the voice changer from the Las Vegas crisis, he relayed intelligence and guidance within Cadmus and occasionally other government operations.

                  In light of his exceptional skills, he was also given the task to overlook the Justice League’s activities around the world. Before Beyond’s creation, there was an incident that involved the Justice Lords, an alternate universe of the Justice League. From them, they realized what a threat the Justice League was to the world if their powers were not kept in check. If not for Lex Luthor’s pardon, there would have been no information of the Justice Lord’s reality. The creation of Beyond was one of the many projects initiated to attempt to keep the Justice League in check.

                  Every recording, every news piece done about the Justice League were archived for Beyond’s viewing. From his observations he took note of habits and weaknesses each Leaguer have to determine a possible counter measure against them. His findings were often requested by other departments in Cadmus in their attempt to pull the distance in power closer. With his archive on a separate system, not connected to any external ports, the information cannot be sent by the simple means of an email. Rather, Beyond was required to deliver these data in person.

                  One was to protect the location of the archive. Secondly, since he was personally delivering the information, there was no chance of interception without his knowledge. Of course, given he was a child no more than seven he was escorted by guards each holding a dummy briefcase in preparation. He carried the actual files in a child’s backpack; no one would expect him to hold anything important.

                  “Oh! Hello little one, here with your uncle again?” The security at the front desk gushed when Beyond walked in with his guard, disguised as a businessman, hand-in-hand.

                  Beyond placed up a bright smile and nodded. “Uncle said we’re going to eat afterwards! And we might even get to see a movie! It has pandas!”

                  The security guard laughed as he ruffled his hair into a mess. “Well, you have fun! Go ahead in.”

The guard nodded before leading Beyond in.

                Once out of the halls and into the elevator, Beyond dropped his hand from the guard’s and quickly combed his hand through his hair to even out the mess.  He flipped out a key and twisted it into what was normally the power switch for the elevator. Instead of going up, the floor below them opened and the elevator descended to the hidden facilities. From there, Beyond maneuvered through the maze-like facility until he reached the labs. He and his guard stepped through a sterilizing unit to cleanse themselves of contamination from the outer world. Inside were equipment laid about the area and a man in a lab coat standing in front of the tube-like tank.

                  “Professor Hamilton.” Beyond greeted as he walked up to the man.

                  Hamilton didn’t glance away from the readings on the machines next to the tank. “Project Beyond, you can just leave the files on the desk behind me.”

                  “Files on Justice Leaguer Supergirl, one would wonder why you need these.” He commented casually as he walked to the table and pulled out the files from his backpack.

                  “No need to speak with such sarcasm Beyond.” Hamilton continued to inspect his readings. “Did you find anything new on Superman and Supergirl?”

                  Beyond snorted as he strolled over to the tank and studied the small fist size of a figure floating within. “Personally, if Cadmus would just shoot the man with a kryptonite laced bullet and get it over with, it’ll save us a lot of grief. The man never dodges them and is even stupid enough to catch them in an attempt to use it as an intimidation tactic.”

                  Hamilton chuckled. “If only it was that easy. If we could do that, we would’ve done it ages ago and I won’t need to be here doing this project.”

                  “Only because Superman is a public figure head.” The seven-year-old project droned. “If we killed him, he’ll just become a martyr. The public will be outraged and he’ll be placed on an even higher pedestal.”

                  “Perceptive as usual, so there’s nothing new that I have to be aware of?”

                  “Unless you want the man dead, then no.” Beyond said dryly. “What should I be expecting from your project? Or what are you expecting to come out from this?”

                  “If the project is successful, Cadmus will be having their very own Supergirl in their ranks.”

                  “But you can’t call her Supergirl, that would be copyright infringement.” Beyond quipped wryly.

                  Hamilton laughed. “Been hitting the law books lately, haven’t you?”

                  “One can only watch Superman cause property damage so many times before it gets dull.” He said as he peered over the reading Hamilton was getting. “What is this project’s name?”

                  “Project Galatea, she’ll be accelerated into maturity and once that—”

                  “Excuse me.” The guard interrupted. “Beyond, you’re requested back at headquarters, immediately.”

                  “I’ll give you a more detailed report of her the next time I see you.” Hamilton added.

                  “See you again some other time then professor.” Beyond waved as he hurried out of the building with his guard. He kept his questions to himself until they’re reached his transport. It must be important if they requested his haste return. “What’s the emergency?”

                  “There was an interruption during the international peace conference.” The guard turned on the television in the vehicle.

                  Beyond raised a brow when he saw the contents. Whatever attacked were not your everyday terrorists. The ship floating above Washington DC looked out of this world, none of its designed seemed human made. And from how the ship easily repelled the Justice League, it was notably dangerous. However, before the ship managed any real damage to the capital, a beam of light shot it down, crashing it to the ground.

                  “How long ago did this happen?” He asked with a frown over his face, rewinding and watching the video again, these were unedited videos from various security cameras, half the images didn’t even manage to catch most of the ship’s image.

                  “Approximately an hour ago, they requested the world leaders’ audience.”

                  “Has the conference started yet?” He asked before pausing at the video with the image of numerous ships littering the sky.

                  “They will be starting soon; a live feed is prepared for you to watch the conference back at the headquarters.”

                  “Then we better hurry back.” Beyond turned off the video before pulling out his laptop and starting his report.

                  Twenty minutes later, Beyond was seated in front of his station of screens. One screen was a live feed of the conference hosted by the Thanagarians that took out the hazardous Gordanian ship. The other screens pulled up files and video archives of Hawkgirl. Like they mentioned, Hawkgirl appeared in Earth’s media roughly five years ago, doing what she could to assist the populace. It was revealed now that she was part of the Thanagarian reconnaissance.

                  “They seriously believe that cover story will work?” Beyond frowned as he rest his lips over his fist.  Reconnaissance was created solely for the benefits for the people who employ them; their purpose was to retrieve information that benefits their own. “Don’t make me laugh.” He reached for his phone already installed with a voice changer. “Patch me through Amada Waller. It’s an emergency.”

                  He met little resistance, his work in the reconnaissance division was well known. “This is Waller.”

                  “Waller sir, the analysis of the Thanagarians is completed. Do not at any point agree to their demands!”

                  “On what grounds?” Waller asked. Her voice demanded no nonsense.

                  “If they truly wish to assist us, they would not need an undercover operative to study our technology and weapons for five years. It is highly suspicious that an entire fleet appeared at the same time to assist us when a signal ship of the Gordanian attacked. Furthermore, other than retaliating, the ship itself had not initiated any use of force during its first appearance.”

                  “That’s enough.” Waller interrupted his reasoning. “Your discoveries will be brought to notice. Continue your observations. If anything goes wrong, be prepared.”

                  “Yes sir.” Beyond responded before hanging up.

                  While Cadmus was fully aware of the hidden intent behind the Hawk people, the populace of the rest of the world did not. Hours after the conference came the unanimous acceptance of the Hawk people’s assistance. Beyond found himself fuming for the first time in his life. These world idiots were blindly accepting these outsiders with no solid proof. He attempted to call Waller again, but she has already informed the reconnaissance department that the United States representative was aware of the Hawk people’s intent, but brushed it off as paranoia and ridiculous.

                  “Idiots.” Beyond muttered as he watched the Justice League assist the Hawk people with the construction of the supposed force shield against the Gordanians.

Along side the feed, he had five years worth of information and video recordings of Hawkgirl for further studying. He searched for the Thanagarian fighting style and what possible countermeasures they could take if the Thanagarians were to attack. Despite his irritation, he noticed something odd about the Justice League. They were moving with complete ease, without the usual reservation and caution. Pausing briefly on his archive research, he checked over the Leaguers that were present. The corner of his lips twitched up when he noticed and realized who was missing.

 

Batman

 

                  There were no signs of the dark knight anywhere in the vicinity of the construction site. The man must have noticed the same things he had. He’s assumptions were not blindly made. The only person to elude him from his Justice League watch was Batman. He had long lists of weaknesses, possibly weaknesses and countermeasures to nearly all the leaguers.

For Superman his weakness against kryptonite was given. Cadmus had long realized this before his creation. Searching for another weakness was a waste of time when the one they already know could easily kill the man. Instead, he made a list of possible countermeasures against the Kryptonian. He deduced Green Lantern was powerless against the color yellow and if his ring was taken away he’d be utterly useless. He noted Flash’s speed caused an increase in metabolism. Without food he would be just as slow as the average human. All anyone needed to do was to bide their time until he ran out of energy.

                Jon the Martian, while he doesn’t seem to have any weaknesses, he was susceptible to flames on occasion. In addition, a stasis field proved to be the most effective concerning the nullification of his Martian abilities. As for Wonder Woman, like Jon there aren’t any notable weaknesses from the archives. However, in theory if a man can subdue or get physically intimate with her, there was a chance she might lose her powers. Given she’s an Amazon and the laws of her people was quite similar to how the Goddess Artemis vow to keep her chastity from men.

                He could list out an endless amount of information and theories, but that meant little when concerning Batman. The man was human, which meant he had plenty of physical weaknesses and could be just as easily killed. Yet, it wasn’t his prowess in combat that threatens Cadmus, it was the man’s mind. Everything about the man was shrouded in mystery. He seldom gets any footage of the man in action and any eyewitness accounts were often outlandish and exaggerated. His rogues’ gallery was little help to aid him in understanding the caped crusader. What was most upsetting was that with the Thanagarians attacking, he had even less time to unravel the mystery of Batman.

                A blinking red light on his phone notified him the reconnaissance department wanted his attention. “GB1 speaking.”

                “This is Waller.”

                “Sir.” Beyond greeted formally, but a hint of curiosity still seeped through his voice. She had already relayed the message that the government ignored his advice, why would she contact him again?

                “I’m patching you through to Checkmate operatives. Discuss with them about your concerns about the Thanagarians.” She continued. “While the government is not doing anything, Cadmus and Checkmate will do whatever it can.”

                “Understood sir!” He was not certain what Checkmate was, but for now he would have to assume it was another project within Cadmus. A proper introduction would have to wait. 

                Much to his surprise, the operatives of Checkmate came to similar conclusions he has about the Thanagarians. Their plans, however, was lacking. Were it to be used on humans, no doubt it would work, but against these Hawk people it was asking for defeat. Beyond frowned as he tried to reason why they would think in such a manner. Have they never dealt with metas and aliens before?

                “Excuse me.” He interrupted and silenced many of the voices on the other end. He wasn’t sure if the other end was a videoconference or a live conference, but he was not about to sit idly as a spectator. “I think it’s much more effective if we went about this with a different approach. You are treating the situation as if we’re dealing with humans. I think it would be better if we…” He promptly went into explaining in detail the various weak points and strengths of the Thanagarians from his research.

                  The information exchange and planning lasted for a week before the bugged representative went onto the Thanagarian ship. They were hoping to scope out the enemies’ territory, but unfortunately their plans were cut short. The representatives were held captive due to some sort of intrusion. Moments later, they found that the Thanagarians have disabled their weaponry and cut off any attempt in retaliation.

                Beyond berated himself for being so naive. They had a spy in their world for over five years, not doubt she already figured a countermeasure against their weapons. He was a fool to think that they would be playing on even grounds. All his meticulous planning went to waste. There was nothing he could do.

                  He could only watch as the Justice League revolted at the construction area. One by one the Hawk people took down their so-called heroes. Superman by what seemed like a kryptonite beam, Green Lantern with a yellow shield, Flash with a gravity field, Jon the Martian with a stasis mace and of course, Wonder Woman and Batman were nowhere in sight. Beyond gritted his teeth as he realized the severity of the situation they were facing. They were outclassed and out maneuvered. What can they do?

                  Calls from all over Cadmus came to him asking if they should bring their projects into active duty. Most were incomplete projects, not even through with the testing phases yet. As much as he hates to rely on the Justice League, there was no other option he could turn to. Cadmus simply didn’t have the power or means to fight off an invasion on their own. When the Justice League was declared as fugitives and enemies, he had to activate Project Ultimen. Though incomplete, they have a better chance at staving off the Hawk people and buying some time for the Justice League.

                  His boundless source of information was stifled. No one could get into the territories the Hawk people had taken over. What little information he could gather were from the public stations and live feeds the Thanagarians allowed. Anything on them was merely propaganda supporting the invaders.

                  Checkmate already has all the information he could offer. Cadmus has sent out all their capable operatives. His hands were tied all he could do was wait and watch. 

                  If only it was that easy to sit still. He tried passing the time going through Hawkgirl’s files again trying to see if he missed anything. His attention was only drawn away when he spotted a change on one of the live feeds. The shadow over the site grew larger and larger until the camera feed was destroyed. He had no clue what had happened until his sources returned.

                  Reports of the Hawk people leaving were cropping up slowly place-by-place, but that didn’t give him a moment of relief. It wasn’t until he heard news that the Watch Tower have crashed and destroyed the site the Thanagarian was building that he let out a sigh of relief. His body slumped against his seat as he rested his head on the backrest; he was exhausted. Throughout the whole ordeal, he slept no more than a few hours a day in order to oversee every detail.

                  Beyond was found snoring at his station by his caretakers when everything was over. He could care less about how Hawkgirl was being dealt with. He deserved his moment of reprieve.

o.o.o.o.o

                  The time Followed after the Thanagarian invasion, Beyond was once again reassigned. Due to his accomplishments, Cadmus found his skills were wasted in simple reconnaissance. He was now working as a shadow advisor for the government and the Cadmus projects in active duty. Duties overlooking the Justice League were suspended until the Watchtower was rebuilt. Until then, they needn’t worry about possible hostile take over from the heroes. Without the tower, they were limited to where they could operate.

                  Domestic affairs were considered mediocre chores to Beyond. They barely posed a challenge compared to what he dealt with in the past. His first assignment involved an embezzlement scandal that cost the government billions. The teams assigned to him were reluctant to trust him at first, why should they? He was no more than a strange voice giving them advice, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be annoyed.

                These people worked on a different level, one not up to the standards he was used to in Cadmus. These people were in inefficient. They lacked the skills and means to communicate and work together that most Cadmus operatives are capable. Instead of the few days he expected to complete the task, it took two weeks.

                He had to learn and adjust to working with civilian white-collared workers. Threats and outright orders did little. They worked best when they believe it was their contribution that aided the completion of the assignment. Of course, this meant extra work for Beyond. Not only he needed to solve the problem, he needed to boost the egos of the imbeciles he worked with.

                To keep the assignments interesting and easy to remember, he often renamed the case file at his leisure. The billion-dollar scandal became Ten Digits. Two weeks, Beyond and his teams of accountants managed to shuffle the digits into the form of various firms, stocks and banks. Later, it was publicly known as the City Construction Scandal. His involvement remained unaccredited. His involvement was supposed to leave no trace

                Even so, Cadmus’ efforts to make Beyond into a silent and unseen advisor failed. Wherever he went, whatever he dealt with were noted memorably by each person he interacted with. That was when he earned his first name in the public.

 

The Voice.

 

                  That was all he was to these people. A voice of reason, a voice without a face and most importantly a voice that cannot be found. He only appears in the moment of need.

                  “I understand, but what about—” The president protested.

                  “There is no need to explain yourself to me sir. I’m merely an advisor, giving you choices and possible outcomes of the decisions you make. Whether or not you decide to use them is solely your choice.” Beyond operated with the impression that there was always choice, but in reality there was only one option. 

                  “I see… very well, it’s best—” A knock at the door interrupted. “What is it?”

                  Beyond could hear the door opening and a woman spoke. “Sir, Superman is here to see you.”

                  “Superman?” The man said in bafflement. “I’m—”

                  “Please, by all means, greet him if you wish.” Beyond said evenly as he opened his archive files on the man of steel.

                  “Mr. President, I need to speak with you about that bill—”

                  “It will be passed.” The president interrupted.

                  “But sir!” Superman protested. “The city needs that funding.”

                  “And who is it to blame to why the city would need such funding to repair itself?” Beyond inserted casually. “The city would not even need half that amount yearly if you and the other so call _heroes_ took the structural integrity of the cities you fight in, into consideration.”

                  “… And you are?” Superman asked warily.

                  “The Voice is a government advisor. His identity is kept secret for his own safety.” The president quipped.

                  “Advisor?” The man of steel sound startled. “Sir, I don’t think it’s wise to leave your decisions to an unknown voice.”

                  Beyond held back a snort as he flipped through the Kryptonian’s files and taking note of his name. He refused to call this alien _Superman_. “Well, Kal-El, this is an improvement. You have finally grown some common sense to not blindly trust the unknown. Pity, it would have been useful during the Thanagarian Crisis.”

                  There was an intake of breath before Superman hissed. “Brainiac!”

                  The child advisor paused stiffly before sitting upright and enunciating his words clearly. “Listen closely, Kal-El of Krypton, if you have even half a brain in that hard head of yours, you would have noticed I am human. Your Kryptonian name is not a secret to the public. If anyone with half a brain bothered to look they would have easily found it in an old Daily Planet issue. Your pseudonym _Superman_ is merely a glorified title the media decided to dub you. Keep this in mind, if it is even possible for you to do so. Jumping to conclusions can be hazardous.” He sniped.

                  It was obvious he was still irritated over the Thanagarian Crisis. The man trusted so blindly and suffered no repercussions for his actions. If anything, he was commended for fixing his own mistakes. The media irritated the young advisor just as much, putting the man on a high pedestal, pretending he can’t don’t anything wrong. The rest of the world being gullible and foolish ate up whatever the media spewed.

                  “Sir, I’ll leave the decision to you as always. Whichever choice you choose, I hope it’s the proper one. Good day.” Beyond promptly cut off the connection, not letting Superman get another word in.

                  The child advisor took a deep breath as he closed his eyes and gathered himself. The man irritated him more than he originally thought. With a slight internal debate, he pulled his conversation history onto the screen and replayed his little exchange with the man of steel. He clicked his tongue at his own brashness.

                  “Should have left the connection open, would have gotten more information for the archives.” He muttered.

                  Hours later, he was scolded for his carelessness to have revealed his existence to the man of steel. Despite being reprimanded, he found a hint of amusement in the midst of stern words. He hadn’t known what was so amusing about the whole situation, but since no punishment came from this, he won’t complain.

                  “I’ll be more cautious of my own actions in the future.” He answered expectantly.

                  The next time any of the Justice League interrupted his advisement, he made certain to stay silent and observe. The months after the Ten Digits assignment was what he dubbed as the Spider down the Drain. Unlike the first assignment, this case tickled his interest. It was actually named the Black Widow Murderess. This woman was shuffling husbands and alibis instead of money. This case normally wouldn’t even be considered in his workload. However, a figure of importance took interest in this spider.

                  Beyond had little interest in the man he was supposed to save and protect especially when the woman was so much more interesting. She had the total of six husbands, each died in a few short years after their marriage. All their deaths were noted as accidents and the woman always had an alibi. The back records of the woman showed no previous misdemeanors. In fact, it showed an impressive array of accomplishments, which made it all the more interesting to prove otherwise. 

                  What was there for him to find, when so many other detectives have failed? The other detectives have already found the woman’s humble background. She came from a middle class family; she went about school and other frivolities. There was nothing wrong with the woman, but that wasn’t what he was looking for. What he was interested in was the strange array of classes the woman took during her college years. At a casual glance, her records show her as a business and economics graduate, but a closer look at her choice of electives were classes of criminal psychology and law.

                  A grin touched Beyond’s lips. The woman was quite an actress, portraying herself as a respectable woman with many virtues and unfortunate circumstances. Albeit, the only virtue she really had was patience. She planned the deaths of her husbands’ months before they even married. Of course, she kept no records of these plans. It would have been too easy otherwise. No, she nearly had the perfect crime. Her only fault was her accomplice. In the midst of her business transactions, the previous detectives never noticed her lawyer.

                  The lawyer was the most crucial part of her plans. Using her company as a front, any visits or requests for a lawyer would not have been taken as something odd. The murder was executed by the lawyer while she had a safe alibi elsewhere. With her more than perfect record, no one would suspect her accomplice’s ruined records. Once the connection between the two was completed, it was the matter of a well-placed search warrant of the lawyer’s abode. The two were placed on trial and sentenced a week after Beyond had finished and allowed the state and court to finish the rest.

                  “What people do for money.” Beyond shook his head as he watched the news aftermath of the Spider down the Drain. He was going to Nuvo-Gen with his guards. Professor Hamilton wanted his opinion on Project Galatea progression.

                  Just as they neared the compound, another vehicle crashed into theirs. The car swerved dangerously before flipping onto its back. As quickly as it happened, it was over. Beyond grimaced as he placed a hand to his head. Fortunately, he was strapped in, but the whiplash was a pain. He glanced up wondering if his guards were injured, but to his surprised they were all gone and they weren’t the only ones the driver from the other car was missing as well.

                  He braced himself as he unbuckled his straps, landing on his head was not what he wanted to experience. Once he crashed onto the ceiling of the car, he lowered the window and crawled out the overturned vehicle. Immediately, he could smell smoke and hear the roar of flames. Outside was a long string of car accidents all were missing drivers. Just what the hell was going on?

He needed to get out of the open, but not without his documents. Beyond reached back into the overturned vehicle and hauled out his backpack before the sound of crying caught his attention. He crawled back out and searched for the source. A girl about his age was in one of the cars in the long lines of accident. She was strapped into a booster seat and was relatively unharmed from the accident. With her unending bawling, Beyond couldn’t catch her attention. Instead, he climbed onto the dashboard and kicked the broken glass until he could let himself in.

                  “Hey! Hey! Stop crying!” He snapped.

                  The girl stopped with a hiccup, still hyperventilating from her crying. “I-I want my mommy!”

                  “Just stop crying! What happened?” He asked as he got her out of her seat.

                  Her lower lips trembled before she started bawling again. “Mommy!”

                  Beyond sighed exasperatedly before dragging her out of the car. “Come on. Get out before the fumes kill us.”

                  “B-but!” She protested, but followed nonetheless. 

                  He hadn’t known why he helped her, but he was regretted that he had. The girl cried each time he tried to question her. When he tried to leave her, she only clung to him further. Seeing how he couldn’t get rid of her, he had no choice but to bring her along. Nuvo-gen wasn’t too far from where they were. It’d be safer inside. They didn’t go far when a group of kids found them.

                  “Hey! The group consisted of two girls and two boys not much older than himself.

                  “Are you guys alone too?” The older boy asked.

                  The girl on his arm sniffled and nodded. They looked less likely to cry compared to his companion, so he decided to ask some questions. “What happened? Where are all the adults?”

                  The group shrugged and shook their heads. “I was with my dad in the store when he just disappeared!” One of the boys said.

                  “Same here! I was with my sister.” The dark skinned girl spoke.

                  “We were in the groceries with mom.” The other boy murmured and his little sister nodded next to him.

                  Beyond frowned. “Hey, how old was your sister?”

                  The girl tilted her head curiously. “She’s fourteen. We were supposed to meet our daddy.”

                  “So fourteen and over are gone.” He muttered under his breath.

                  “So… what do we do now?” The other boy asked.

                  “I say we need a leader! I’ll be it!” The brother appointed himself. He looked about ten or so, likely the eldest in the group.

                  “Do you even know what you’re doing?” Beyond asked dryly.

                  “I’m the oldest here! So I say I’m in charge!” He huffed.

                  “Yeah!” His sister hesitantly agreed.

                  “Do what you want, I’m leaving.” Beyond said before turning to leave for Nuvo-Gen. There were no other answers these children could give him.

                  The girl from before pulled him back and clung onto his arm. “I-I want him to be leader! He talks like a grown up!”

                  “But I’m oldest!” The boy protested.

                  “My big sister said the oldest is not always the smartest.” The other girl interrupted. “I pick this guy.”

                  “Uh… I guess… I’ll pick this guy too?” The other boy said in confusion.

                  “Hey, I didn’t say I want to lead you.” Beyond protested.

                  “Yeah! He said he doesn’t want it!” The brother argued again.

                  “But he knows what to do right?” His sister tugged on his arm quietly.

                  Beyond hadn’t bother staying to listen to their childish arguments. He gave an abrupt departure, but found the children following him to Nuvo-Gen. This was his first experience with normal children and they were far from what he expected. The lack of discipline was appalling. If he gave them no restrictions, they did as they pleased. He has never met such behavior. They were highly emotional, easily agitated and needed a whole lot of attention whether it was food, water, entertainment, bathroom breaks or authority. Lacking even one of them was disastrous.

                  Beyond learned the hard way when they managed fire with only water and a coffee maker. With some difficulty and a lot of shouting, he and the two other boys managed to use the fire extinguisher to put out the fire. It was then he took the forced role of leader seriously.

                  “Don’t touch anything.” He glared at the ground once the fire was out.

                  Feeding them turned out to be a hassle as well.

                  “Ew! I don’t want to eat this!” The group complained.

                  “Eat it or starve. Your choice. There’s nothing else here.” He said as he ate. The food was from the fridge in the break room they nearly burned down. The majority seemed like leftovers from conference meetings.

                  “I need to go potty.” The sister said with her legs together as she hopped.

                  Beyond felt a vein throbbing at the side of his head as he dared to ask. “…Who else needs to go to the bathroom?”

                  All hands raised into the air. Beyond was grateful that they at least know how to wipe themselves after they were done because by the time the entertainment came about, he was losing patience with the group of children.

                  “No, that’s stupid! I want to watch something else!” The boys argued.

                  “No! We wanna watch ponies!” The girls retorted.

                  “Decide on one thing or no one is watching anything!” Beyond snapped.

                  In the end, they decided to watch a boy with a pink hat and two talking goldfishes. He really didn’t see why the children liked these shows. They were nonsensical and even ridiculous for the most part. Nonetheless, he wasn’t one to look at a gift horse in the mouth for the next two hours of peace. In which, he had used to check on Hamilton’s precious Project Galatea.

                  It had grown some since he was last there. Instead of the fist size of a ball, Galatea was starting to resemble a human infant. Making a quick check through the system, he was certain that whatever happened to the adults won’t affect those who are physically young. Once he was certain nothing in these labs would destroy the building, he quickly went back to check on the children.

                  Fortunately, when he returned, the children were still captivated by the screen. Having nothing else left to do, he sat down and waited.  He waited and studied the children around him. What exactly was so captivating about a sponge underwater? And why would they need baths anyhow?

                  “Hey.” The girl latched onto him earlier whispered as she tugged on his arm. “When do you think my mommy is coming back? I want to go home.”

                  “I don’t know.” Beyond replied bluntly.

                  “Don’t you miss your mommy and daddy?” She asked.

                  “… No.” He said truthfully. In Cadmus, he changed caretakers and teachers almost monthly. For as long as he remembered, he never had anyone he can call a parent.

                  “You don’t like them?” She asked, confused by his answer.

                  “...No.” He said again, but a question swam in his mind curiously. “Why do you miss your parents?”

                  “Um…” The girl pondered. “Because I love my mommy and daddy.”

                  “Love?” Beyond muttered cynically. By definition, love is something of affection, an attachment, something that can’t be measured or even judged logically. “Why do you love them?”

                  She gave a confused frown. “I just love them.”

                  “Why?”

                  “Just because!” She grounded out stubbornly.

                  She doesn’t know why she loves them either. “Then—” He paused when suddenly an adult appeared out of thin air.

                  Slowly, the building was coming to life again with noises. “The grownups are back!” The boy jumped up from his seat in joy.

                  “Hey! Maybe my sister is back too!” The other girl shouted.

                  “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go look for them!” The brother shouted in excitement before dragging his sister with him.

                  The mini-semblance of order Beyond had over them was gone. They quickly approached the adults for help. He wasn’t bothered by their desertion. After all, he hadn’t wanted to help them in the first place. Even though they all left him, the girl he saved remained with him. He glanced back to her curiously.

                  “Aren’t you going to look for your mother?” He asked.

                  “Um… can you go with me?” She asked timidly.

                  He wasn’t sure why she didn’t just go ask an adult, but since his guards were probably in the vicinity looking for him, he might as well help her. When they left Nuvo-Gen, she grabbed onto his hand rather than clinging onto his arm as they backtracked to where they met. The city was in a state of confusion. People reappeared all around, disoriented from their return at first, and then stared in horror at the chaos that the city fell into while they were gone. It didn’t take long for the two to reach their destination.

                  “Cindy!” A woman shouted as she rushed over.

                  “Mommy!” The girl released Beyond’s hand before running into the woman’s arms.

                  “Oh! I was so worried! You must’ve been terrified! My poor baby!” She cried.

                  “Yeah I was a little scared, but he helped me, so it wasn’t too scary.” She said before breaking away from her mother.

                  “Who helped you sweety?” She asked before her daughter turned around to pull Beyond over. “You helped my little Cindy?” He nodded slowly not knowing what to expect, he hasn’t dealt with civilian women outside of business before. “Thank you.” She whispered as she gave him a hug.

                  His eyes widened in surprise, whatever he expected, it wasn’t this. He felt a flutter of warmth caressing his insides. He reasoned it was the woman’s higher body temperature, but he knew it wasn’t the reason. Sure it was just as invasive as Cindy’s touches, but this felt pleasant. It was… nice.

                  _… Is this why she loves her parents?_ He wondered curiously.

                  “Where are your parents? They must be worried sick for you.” The woman fussed over him and Cindy until one of his guards approached.

                  “There you are! I was wondering where you ran off to.” The man said.

                  “You’re his father?” The woman asked.

                  “No, I’m his uncle.” The man continued. Beyond stopped listening to the cover story his guard was spouting. He heard it a million times with various variations to it.

                  “Do you live with your uncle? Is that why you don’t miss your mommy and daddy?” Cindy asked.

                  “…You can say that.” He said before he noticed some other kids finding their parents and reacting in a similar manner as Cindy and her mother had earlier.

                  “You have a wonderful boy, and thanks again for watching my Cindy.” The mother said as she knelt down to give him another hug. “You take care now!”

                  “You as well ma’am,” he replied in good manner.

                  “Um… bye!” Cindy gave him a quick peck to the cheek before leaving with her mother in a hurry.

                  He watched the mother and daughter pair for a moment longer before turning to his guards. He raised a brow at the grin on the man’s face. “What’s so amusing?”

                  The guard raised a hand and coughed, trying to hide his smile. “Nothing.” He said, but the grin remained.

                  “Let’s continue onto Nuvo-Gen then.” Beyond said before walking back to the building with his guards. Their transport and the streets were in no condition for a quick drive.

                  “Ah Beyond, I see you are well. That incident earlier didn’t trouble you much, did it?” Hamilton asked when he arrived.

                  “Not at all,” Beyond replied mechanically, but in truth, it had affected him. It made him wonder, did he have parents? He shook his head, he was a project born from a test tube how would he have parents? He glanced at Galatea’s floating form and pondered. Even if he was created in a tube, source material was needed… So who was his genetic donor?

 


	3. Expendability

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finding his true origins, Beyond meets more of is fellow projects and realizes his mortality in staying with Cadmus.

            His eighth year in Cadmus was more hectic than the last. It took months before the incident with the missing adults settled. Cities, businesses and people were all doing their best to repair what was damaged and lost during the short few hours during the adult populace’s disappearance. There wasn’t much information on the perpetrator, but the Justice League seemed to know something about it, when they promised there would be no repeats.

                Beyond refrained himself from making any snide remarks. He was more interested in finding the history behind his blood than retorting against empty promises. Interestingly enough, his files were restricted. Protected with ridiculous amounts of pass codes, traps and whatnots. Why such secrecy, he wasn’t sure, but from what he’s found, he was likely the oldest project still alive. The only other project that had gone on just as long was the Superman cloning projects, but it was terminated after multiple failures. Project Doomsday became its replacement.

                Further study of his project files, he noted his training was overlooked by Checkmate, a group he worked with briefly the previous year. His genetics was from a human as expected, given he hadn’t had any mutations or degradation that many of the other projects suffered. However, to which human he was created from surprised him. The blood sample was taken from none other than the Justice Leaguer Batman. There was a footnote by Dr. Strange concerning Batman’s identity.

                He frowned at this revelation. They already had plenty information on Batman, but for some reason they never saw fit to give him any of it. Was it due to a lack of trust on him that they kept this a secret? Or was it something more? His list of questions grew as he went through more of his files. Most consisted of character evaluations and his progression during the last few years. It wasn’t until he found the proposal for his project, that his answers were finally answered.  For the past eight years, he thought his project title was just Project Beyond, but in reality, it was much more.

 

Project Batman Beyond

 

            The true purpose of Project Beyond was to create a counter against the sharp-witted mind of the man behind the vigilante mask. They hadn’t planned on him becoming the Voice, but it was a beneficiary surprise. What they have managed was a perfect son to go against him when the time came. Whether or not the project was done as a psychological attack, the result would be his flesh and blood against him.

            Despite his interest on Batman’s civilian identity, he hadn’t had much time to look into Dr. Strange’s archives. During his eighth year, he was loaded with work as the Voice and legal support for his fellow active projects. The Ultimen Project activated nearly a year ago during the Thanagarian Crisis and Project Galatea a few weeks ago.

            For the Ultimen he created over seventeen years worth of back history for each individual and a respectable public persona. Writing their existence into the government archives was a simple task, but having Cadmus to hire proper actors to play as their loving family was another matter. Due to their premature activation, the Ultimen required close observation for the slightest change. Like Project Meta, Beyond became more familiar with them then they know of themselves. Their most intimate secrets, their dreams and their fears, he knew them all.

            As for Galatea, in the first week of her activation, she was held back for physical training to control and contain her powers. She hadn’t the luxury of maturing into her powers as the original. She was artificially aged to the peak of her abilities. Their first official meeting was not pleasant. Galatea was used to being doted on by Hamilton and Beyond was used to professionalism. To him, Galatea lacked the discipline that would allow them to work well together.

            “She’s doing quite well isn’t she?” Hamilton spoke with pride.

            “She hasn’t mutated or degraded like the other Kryptonian projects yet, so that’s a good sign.” He muttered as he noted on Galatea’s performance. “Sloppy, it’ll be troublesome to cover up a death like this.”

            “Cut her some slack, it’s her first mission.” The professor defended.

            Beyond paid him no heed as he continued to write down the faults and possible improvements for the Supergirl clone. It wasn’t the first time he watched someone discarded by Cadmus. In fact, he covered up for more than half of those deaths.

            “Spoiling her in this manner will only hinder her progression professor.” Beyond commented as he wrote up the forensics report.

            “She’s merely a week old.” The man argued. “You can’t expect perfection from her this quickly.”

            “You’re giving me more work on top of work I already have professor.”

            “But you haven’t failed to live up to your responsibilities yet.” The man quipped.

            Beyond glanced up with a raise of a brow. “Do you want me to fail professor?”

            “No, no! By no means!” Hamilton raised his hands in defense.

            “Then have Galatea execute cleaner deaths.” Beyond said bluntly as he returned to writing up the report.

            “Who are you to give us orders?” A feminine voice interrupted.

            Beyond glanced at her briefly before turning to leave. “I’ll leave her to you professor. I’ll have someone file the report in later.” A hand grabbed the front of his shirt and hauled him into the air. He was met with an icy glare.

            “What gives you the right to boss us around brat?” She snapped.

            “Galatea! Put him down!” Hamilton said in a panic.

            “By having what you don’t.” Beyond growled. She wouldn’t dare kill him they can’t replace him.

            “And what would that be?” She hissed. Her hand moved to grasp him by the throat instead. Beyond’s eyes widened as he dropped his notes and raised his hands to grab onto the one on his neck. 

            “Galatea! Let him down now! He’s your advisor! If you kill him, it’ll be against protocols!” Hamilton shouted.

            “Advisor?” She said in disbelief as she dropped him.

            His guards hurried in when she assaulted him, but none of them could have done anything with him in her grasp. Beyond coughed frantically in between breaths while they helped him up and stood between him and Galatea. He rubbed his sore throat while Galatea was throwing a tantrum with Hamilton over having a child as her advisor.

            “But he’s just a kid!” She protested.

            “Galatea, he’s a project just as you are, but he’s not developed for combat. He’s developed to assist you and others like you. After all, with your training schedule, you don’t have time to do what he’s doing for you. It’s more efficient this way. So please.” Hamilton pleaded her.

            Beyond’s eyes narrowed. That wasn’t what he was developed for. He was developed to counter Batman, not play baby-sitter for a spoiled project like her. She huffed in irritation as she glared at Beyond.

                “Fine.” She muttered. “I still don’t like him.”

            “You don’t have to.” Beyond said hoarsely as he motioned for his guards to leave. “This is nothing more then an assignment. We don’t have to like each other to do our jobs. Professor, I trust you to explain the rest to her.”

            “I will. I’m sorry about what happened. Please stop by the infirmary when you get the chance.” He apologized.

            As he left, he could hear Galatea complaining about Hamilton apologizing to him. He could care less about her thoughts, but she had reminded him again of his mortality. It was so easy to forget how helpless he was while working with such stagnant missions. Cadmus could not always protect him, what happened with the Joker was proof. He knew that, but he hadn’t realized how easily he could outlive his usefulness. They kept him because he still showed signs of usefulness. There were no promises that he could ever match up to Batman much less defeat the man. If he couldn’t accomplish what he was created for, how long would he last once he resolved all the mediocre problems?

            Beyond had no time to worry over his troubled thoughts. His priority was to survive the new threat, Galatea. She could easily crush him at any moment without notice and he would be able to do nothing about it. On these days he found himself really hating the Kryptonian race. They had such power and they never had to work a moment in their lives to obtain it. Something must be done to correct this.

            “Is there a reason for the call Beyond?” Waller asked over the phone.  

            “I would like to request for the funding of a project.” He said gravely.

            “You do know you are no exception to the standard procedure for funding requests.”

            “This project is not only beneficiary to Cadmus, but it’s most crucial for my safety.”

            “Your safety?” He could hear the frown in her voice. “From what may I ask?”

            “Professor Hamilton’s Project Galatea. While she is quite capable of the duties assigned to her, I’m afraid she’s a loose cannon. She made a physical threat against my person only hours earlier. I don’t doubt she might be a threat to others if she was to go berserk.”

            “What is this project you’re suggesting?” She asked after a moment.

            “Kryptonite is too expensive and difficult to obtain for our purposes. On top of obtaining the rock, the radiation it omits is dangerous for those who use it. I believe a portable red sun simulation should be enough for our common guards to detain her if necessary.”

            “You are aware if this project is funded, you will not be the one to overlook its progression with your current duties.” She added.

            “I am aware of this and have already chosen a suitable candidate to overlook the project. It’s just the matter of having him agree on working on project.”

            “And who may this be?” Waller asked calmly.

            “Dr. Eli Selig. I’ll forward you his records, he’s rather young compared to our other engineers and professors, but he’s highly capable in his work.”

            “I’ll see about that project after I see the man’s files.” The woman considered. She was not one to trust on word of mouth alone.

            “Thank you for your time sir.” He said, not offended by her caution. She had his respect for taking such measures.

            Not long after his proposal to Waller, the Ultimen went berserk and attempted to destroy the city they were supposed to guard. It took him no more than a moment to create a proper cover story to feed the masses before the group was given to him for observation and analysis. Without having to look at the current information, he knew the Ultimen’s time was limited. How could he not? He was the one that authorized their early activation. He was aware of the risks and their degradation. Their powers made their bodies unstable. The more they used them, the shorter their lifespan becomes. He was surprised that they managed a full year.

            When he went for observation, he noticed one was missing among the group. “What happened to Long Shadow?” He asked.

            “He’s with the Justice League.” One of the scientists answered.

            Beyond paused and glanced up from his notes. “Why?”

            “He hadn’t gone berserk, not like them.” The scientist motioned towards the one-way mirror. “They made a big deal to keep him from Cadmus.”

            “I see…” He made note to check on why that one hadn’t gone berserk like the rest of them. “I’m going to talk to the Ultimen.”

            “We’ll prepare your—”

            “I’ll talk to them as I am.” Beyond brushed them off as he strolled over to the controls and the one-way mirror that separates him from the Ultimen.

            “But that’s against protocols!” The man protested.

            “They’ll be dead within the month, it won’t matter.” Beyond reasoned before climbing onto the seat and pulling on a headset, he adjusted the volume before turning off the one-way mirror function. “Good afternoon.” He greeted.

            “What are you doing here kid?” The teen, Wind Dragon said tiredly as the group turned their attention to him. “This isn’t a playground, you shouldn’t be here messing with the equipment.”

            “But I am in the right place. You are Project Ultimen are you not?”

            The group became silent. “Who the heck are you supposed to be?” The twin Downpour snapped.

            “I’m assigned to overlook your degradation process.” Beyond replied truthfully. “How are you feeling today?”

            They snorted. “Great, we have a kid baby-sitting us.” The electricity manipulator Juice grumbled.

            Ignoring their scornful remarks, he proceeded with his questioning. “What led to your berserk episode?”

            “Berserk!” The other twin Shifter snarled. “We did not go berserk!”

            “You nearly wiped out an entire city block.” Beyond interrupted.

            “What do you know? How would you feel if everything you remember or believed in was nothing more then lies implanted into you mind?” Shifter continued in fury.

            “Don’t bother wasting your breath. He’s a kid, he won’t understand what it feels like to be replaced and betrayed.” Wind Dragon grumbled.

            “So this is the matter of leaving a mark in the world?”

            “No! It’s not as simple as leaving a mark!” Shifter shouted. “They were going to replace us when we died! No one would have noticed! Whatever we done won’t mean a thing! It’s worse than being forgotten. It’s like we never existed to begin with.”

            “You won’t be forgotten.” Beyond found himself saying.

            The group turned away from him. “We’ll probably be remembered as the screw ups that nearly destroyed the city.” They muttered before burying their faces at their knees.

            Beyond pulled off his headset and turned off the one-way screen. He has gotten what he wanted from the Ultimen, more than he expected. They did what he never thought to do. They defied Cadmus and showed him what the outcome would be like. No one lived long after betraying Cadmus. He felt no sadness, he wasn’t aware of what sad was. Following the Ultimen’s death, Cadmus started a purge on all traitors using Galatea as their hit-woman and Beyond as their cleaner.

            By then, Beyond was long used to the sight of corpses and Galatea’s display of brutality. Her dislike towards the little advisor hasn’t changed, but she hasn’t done anything remotely close in harming him since their first meeting. The project he imposed on Dr. Selig was coming along. Soon he wouldn't have to worry about the Kryptonian clone. The good doctor managed to create the red sun simulation in a room, but have yet to make it portable for Beyond’s use.

            The elections came and went. The new president would soon replace the man he aided in the past two years. For once, Beyond wasn’t disappointed; the man was not a complete waste of space as he predecessor. True, the man does not have the cleanest record, but what politician does? At least this man knew not to blindly trust the big blue boy scout. He was to greet the man as the Voice when he entered office during the new term.

            “Congratulations on winning the presidency Mr. Luthor, or should I refer you as Mr. President now?” Beyond greeted.

            There was a moment of silence before Luthor replied. “It would only be appropriate for you to call me president… You are?”

            “They refer to me as the Voice. I’m the advisor to your predecessor.”

            “An advisor?” The man chuckled. “I don’t need one.”

            “You don’t have to take my advice. I merely give them. Whether or not you decide to use them is your personal choice. I offered the same to your predecessor.”

            He could hear Luthor chuckling again. “I am to assume you are the same person who convinced him to pass the bill on city reconstruction.”

            The man wasn’t stupid. “That is correct.” He responded as he looked through Luthor’s records.

            “I have no need for your advisement. I doubt you’ll be needed again until my resignation or the inauguration of a new president.”

            “Very well, if that is your decision sir. Before I leave you, I have one question.” Beyond paused on a page of the man’s records curiously.

            “And that would be?”

            “You spent over seventy-five million on this campaign. However, I don’t think it is power you’re after in this presidency. May I ask if this has anything to do with your grudge against Superman?”

            “…” Luthor said nothing.

            “Pardon my rudeness if the question is too personal. I’ll leave you to your decisions sir.” Beyond pretended to close the connection and sat through a colorful session of the new president’s range of vocabulary. None were suitable for repetition, but Beyond was quite aware that he left an impression. He touched a sore spot and irked the prideful man.

            With his duties to the president as the Voice postponed, his spare time was divided between helping Galatea with her assignments and looking into Strange’s files on Batman. Though, he should’ve kept a better eye on Galatea on hindsight. Somehow, during her last mission, the man she eliminated showed up on the morning news. She was usually so meticulous to rid the body and keep it from being discovered until the forensics could make little to nothing out of it.

            “There’s an information leak.” Beyond stated to Hamilton when he visited Star Labs to retrieve Galatea’s progress reports.

            “How could that be? We’ve already—”

            He interrupted Hamilton. “It’s not from the people we’ve already discarded, it’s someone inside.”

            “And who do you think it is boy genius?” Galatea said smugly as she sauntered into the room.

            “I believe it’s you.” He said bluntly.

            “What?” She hissed with her fists clenched.

            “How could Galatea ever— she’s been monitored the whole time!” Hamilton argued.

            “Don’t frame me just because you have something against me!” She snapped.

            “Have you been having trouble sleeping as of late?” Beyond commented as the screen flicked to images of her tossing and turning during her sleeping hours.

            She turned to Hamilton furiously. “You let him watch me sleep?”

            “Don’t blame the professor. I’m given all information of the personnel I work with.” He said simply before continuing. “What have you been dreaming? I’ve noticed each time you awaken from these dreams, you have… what should I call it? This look of guilt over your face?”

The image paused on her waking up in a cold sweat.

            “This is bull shit!” She hissed.

            “Your performance went down.” He continued.

            “You never liked my performances!” She argued.

            “True, but I do take note of what you are capable of and what you are not. And the work you’ve been doing in the last two assignments have been subpar compared to your usual flare.”

            “I’m not listening to this! You’ve already done your job! Get out!” She snapped and pointed to the door.

            “Professor Hamilton, you have guests on the upper labs.” A woman spoke through the intercom.

            “Who is it?” He asked.

            “Three Justice League members, Supergirl is among them.” The woman replied.

            “I’ll be up in a moment.” He said before turning off the connection. “Beyond you’ll have to wait until they leave before you can return to headquarters.”

            “Understandable.” Beyond responded before turning on the security cameras in the lab. “And I wonder why your donor is here.” He mused. “Surely, it’s not a simple social call, don’t you think?”

            “Shut up.” Galatea hissed as she watched Hamilton converse with the others. It turned out Beyond was right. She was the leak, but not purposely or willingly. There was a psychic link between her and Supergirl.

            “How troublesome…” Beyond sighed before picking up a phone with his voice changer on. “There’s a security breech by Supergirl. Requesting operatives with Kryptonite guns.”

            Galatea raised a brow. “You’re going to kill her?”

            Beyond raised a hand to silence her. “A Z8 won’t be necessary. We just need it to convince Supergirl and her fellow leaguers that someone is out to get her, not tracing it back to Cadmus.” He paused listening to the other end. “Of course, whatever is available.” He hung up.

            Galatea crossed her arms. “You’re going to tell me what you’re planning?”

            “Why don’t you just watch?” He said as they waited for the group to finish with Hamilton and leave the facility. A copter arrived moments later attacking. They handled the group as expected, but Beyond frowned at the Z8 android. “I thought I told them not to send a Z8! The government supplies the Justice League with that model! Idiots!”

            “Hmph, so what if they link it back to the government, I say we take them head on.” Galatea glared at the screen.

            “It’s called secrecy,” Beyond noted dryly. “That Justice Leaguer Question is going to be a problem. Overly paranoid, obsessive to details, I’m not surprised if he finds any connection back to us.”

            “Then what are you planning?” She asked glancing in annoyance through Supergirl’s files on the screen.

            “Sending a request to headquarters to silence a loose end.” He said as he sent the request report.

            She raised a brow. “And who exactly is the loose end?”

            “The man that lend a hand in generously donating Supergirl’s DNA for your production. General Hardcastle. It’s likely, we’re not going to be able to silence him in time, but it’s best to not have him around if they plan to use him to reveal Cadmus to the public.”

            “Beyond, they’re gone you can…” Hamilton trailed off as he entered.

            “There’s a security breech, everything in Nuvo-Gen will have to be relocated.” Beyond stated.

            “No!” Galatea grounded out.

            “It’s not your place to argue.” Beyond turned his attention back to her.

            “I think it’s the perfect time to get rid of them.” Galatea said.

            “On what grounds?” Beyond challenged her. “What can Cadmus benefit from the deaths of these three? Do you know what we’re risking to go with your plan?”

            “I know I can take them!” She argued.

            “It’s not your decision to make.” He quipped.

            “Then I’ll send in a request like you do! How hard can that be?” She growled.

            “It’ll take you weeks, maybe even months. It’ll be pointless by then. They would have found out.”

            “But… with your help it wouldn’t take as long.” Hamilton interrupted.

            “I am not indulging her with her childish schemes. If she wants Supergirl dead, she does it on her own.” Beyond retorted.

            “Galatea, can you leave the room for a moment?” Hamilton asked.

            “I’m not leaving!” she growled.

            “Please, just a moment.” He said calmly, ushering her gently out of the room. “Beyond, you know how Galatea is. If you don’t help her, she’ll just do it on her own and who knows what mess she’ll create from that.”

            “You’re spoiling her professor. She needs to know where she stands in Cadmus.” Beyond stated firmly.

            “I’ll send the request to headquarters myself, you won’t be associated with any of this plan, but please just help her.” Hamilton begged.

            “…” Beyond took a deep breath this man was persistent. And if he doesn’t help him now, the man would continue to pester him until he does. “We’re removing all the data on the other projects from Nuvo-Gen, leaving only Galatea’s files. If they’re looking for something it would be suspicious if they find nothing. Have Hallstrom’s death reported on the news and link him back to Nuvo-Gen. Galatea can face them in the training room.”

            “Thank you Beyond.” Hamilton said gratefully.

            “You probably want me to be overlooking this—” Beyond was interrupted.

            “No! I don’t want you to be in any part of this! I can do this without your help!” Galatea charged in fuming. No doubt she heard the whole conversation.

            “Galatea!” Hamilton tried to appease her.

            “I don’t need his help!” She growled.

            “As long as the other files in Nuvo-Gen are removed, I can care less what she does.” He said before leaving.

            “Fine! I don’t need your help!” She shouted again.

            He glanced back at her briefly, the stubbornness in her eyes he would remember it forever. Galatea went on without his help. Two days later, Nuvo-Gen was destroyed, partially from the fight between Galatea and Supergirl. The rest was blown to ashes by Task Force X. He knew Galatea’s success rate was low, not because she was incapable, but more of Cadmus’s fear of her powers. Hamilton was the only one to trust her. Beyond was not surprised that they blew up the structure with her still in it.

            Though he was surprised that she survived. She was shipped off to Star Labs until she recovered completely. He was almost disappointed that he hadn’t needed to send the obituary to the papers if the locals found her body. He could still save it for a later date if it came to that. After all, the projects were considered expendable.

            Cadmus was funded handsomely to reactivate the Superman cloning project, courtesy of President Luthor. This time around, the project was graced with more than just money; it also involved the technology from Lex Corp. He really hadn’t seen the point when they asked for his archives on Superman and Galatea. Those in the project were more familiar with Superman than he was and the fact Galatea succeeded, they should’ve placed Hamilton on the project.

                Though, the reason for all these failures in the past was due to the damaged samples they had in cloning Superman. Unlike the samples from Supergirl, Superman’s sample was damaged from the Kryptonite’s radiation. To counter this issue, they decided to incorporate human DNA to stabilize the Kryptonian DNA.

                The choice of human DNA peaked Beyond’s interest. The donor was Lex Luthor. It was questionable to how obsessed the man was with the man of steel. He would have looked further, but his interest was elsewhere. Without his duties as the Voice and with Galatea out of commission, he found something called free time. It was unthinkable that Cadmus would have nothing for him to do. He feared this might just be a sign that his usefulness was up. He hastily went in search for what he postponed in finding out all these months.

The identity of Batman.

                He had little difficulty going through the security systems to access Dr. Strange’s files. The name Bruce Wayne meant nothing at first glance, at least until he looked deeper into the history of the man. Imagine his surprise when he found the man, an aloof playboy dumber than a rock. The contrast this man to Batman was unbelievable, but that must’ve been taken into consideration to keep Bruce Wayne from being associated with Batman at any point.

                “No wonder Cadmus did nothing to the man. No one would believe this airhead of a playboy was the dark knight.” He muttered.

                The alarms blared loudly, Beyond was startled to return the files and hurried back into the ventilation system. He hasn’t grown much since Project Meta. When no one entered looking for unauthorized personnel, he realized it wasn’t meant for him. He quickly left the archives and returned to his station for more information on the matter. It seemed like someone released Project Doomsday and the monstrosity recovered from his last encounter with the Justice Lord Superman.

                The man who released him was Dr. Milo, a useless scientist and a waste of their government funds. It was not likely the man survived releasing Doomsday, but it was not a lost in his eyes. He wasn’t fond of the man. After all, the man nearly ran him over with his super powered warthog on a few occasions. Milo’s projects were useless and often more trouble than what it was worth, the lost of him would only improve the efficiency of Cadmus.

                Beyond was not surprised that he wasn’t alerted. There was nothing he can do against Doomsday, in short of pressing the button to fire the kryptonite missile. Doomsday was a monstrosity developed for its resilience. With Galatea still recovering, it would be foolish to send her in an attempt to stop him. Not that her death would bother him, but the waste of useful resources irked him to no ends. After all, she and he were the last projects that retained any freewill, if one can call it that.

                He watched the evacuation reports on the island, the Justice League was busy trying to save as many civilians as they could. It won’t take Doomsday long to reach them and hunt down the man of steel. The reports did not interest him. Batman won’t be there on account of his lack of superpowers. Him paying attention would be a waste of his time… At least until he heard a kryptonite missile was launched and directed towards the island.

                “What are they doing?” Beyond said in disbelief. The island was still evacuating and unless that thing directly hits Doomsday, it would only kill everyone else around him. The lights on his phone flashed. “Yes?”

                “This is Waller. I want you to create a cover story for the missile launched right now. Have it within the hour.” She ordered.

                “Yes sir.” He replied quickly before he started his lines of lies. There would be not appeasing to the masses, they have fired at civilians. He kept the feed on, linked onto the satellites for a better image of the whole situation. Thousands would die today because of Cadmus’s carelessness and a bumbling idiot. The story was completed in record time, but that meant little.

                It wouldn’t be much longer before the missile reaches the island and wipe out the small population. Just as the missile approached, a small aircraft sped dangerously towards it. The satellite image of the aircraft wasn’t clear with both objects moving in extraordinary speeds, but he did take note that the aircraft was from the Justice League’s Watch Tower, a dangerous stunt. The risk of burning up during reentry alone should have warded off any sane person, but not only the pilot risked the reentry, he was also chasing the dangerous missile that could detonate at any moment. If the first two hadn’t managed to kill the pilot, stopping at that speed will surely crush the pilot to death or leave severe wounds.

                “What kind of idiot would risk his life for these people?” Beyond muttered in disbelief, but the danger was diverted.

                His thoughts on the pilot lingered only briefly, such selfless individuals were impossible to understand. Yet, that was what most of these heroes were. He had thought maybe there was something wrong with these heroes. Who would do such things without reward and compensation? How stupid were they to risk their lives for people they barely know?

                Beyond frowned as he thought about the dark knight. The man was Bruce Wayne. He wouldn’t need compensation with how rich he was. It wasn’t like he was doing it for the limelight. Heck, if anything the man avoided the public like the plague, preferring to keep his image as an untouchable urban legend.

                There was no pleasure in the job. Staying up in the dead of night to catch criminals seemed more like abuse than fulfillment. There was no making sense of the man. If he wanted revenge or vengeance over the mugger that killed his parents, he could’ve just gone after him, but no. Instead, the dark knight declared war on all criminals that trespassed his city.

            He had even gone as far as disappearing off the face of the earth to get training to do so. Beyond rested his lips against his folded hands. Cadmus had started his physical training when they realized he had little to do, but since he was still a growing boy, they couldn’t risk heavy sessions that could impede his growth. Though, what use would they need him to be able to fight? It wasn’t like there was a chance he’d fight the dark knight. By the time he’s ready, the man wouldn’t be in any condition to fight. He’d be too old and decrepit.

                Even so, the man has more experience at his disposal. Unless it was a battle of the minds, he couldn’t hope to match him—No, he was making excuses. The truth was that he didn’t want to fight the dark knight. The man… scared him. His greatness, his determination and his unbreakable resolve.

                Using the moment of excitement caused by Doomsday, Beyond snuck into a terminal that linked to the outer world. He had no worries that someone would find out what he was doing. It would take days to unravel what he had done, but even then he needn’t worry. Only one person can figure out what he done and even he won’t be able to trace it back to him. Beyond had hacked the systems in the Bat-computer to leave Batman a message.

            He was hoping he could convince the man to back off from Cadmus operations. Then he would never have to confront the man. Sadly, his message was ignored and Batman continued his duties with the Justice League.

**_Crack!_ **

            “Sorry!” A voice broke him out of his thoughts. He glanced up from his breakfast and noted a black-haired young man at the counter with a broken tray and the mess of breakfast at his feet.

            “Ugh, be more careful!” The serving lady scolded him before giving him another tray of food. This tray broke in his grip as well.

            “Sorry.” He said again dejectedly, the lady prepared another tray for him, but this time he was hesitant to take it.

            “Come on, take it already.” She said exasperatedly.

            “I’m…” The young man murmured.

            “I’ll take it for him.” Beyond spoke up after a moment startling him to glance back for him before the other realized he had to lower his eyes to see him.

            “Thanks.” He murmured gratefully in embarrassment.

            “It’s not a problem.” Beyond said carrying the tray to his table before he sat down.

            “I woke up a few hours ago, I’m not really used to my strength yet.” He said sheepishly as he picked up a utensil, the fork crushed in his hand and snapped. “See...” He sulked. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Not even five minutes awake, this crazy blonde chick smacked me over the head hard enough to leave dents on the ground. Then they dragged me off for a bunch of tests.”

            Beyond listened in amusement as he rambled on about his miserable day. “Let me guess, you’re Project XIII.”

            The young man perked up curiously. “Yeah, how did you know?”

            It wasn’t hard for Beyond to figure out who this was. Cadmus ceased many projects on super-beings after Ultimen and Galatea. This one was likely the last freewill project imposed on Cadmus by President Luthor. He was Project Superman Clone XIII. His monstrous strength and lack of control resembled the Supergirl clone very much when she was first activated. There was no doubt the crazy blonde he mentioned was Galatea. No one else in Cadmus would have the strength to smack him with a force to crack the floors. It must’ve been a procedure to test if the project was a success.

            “I have my sources and it’s very likely you’ll be seeing Galatea again.” He noted as he stirred up his breakfast absently.

            “You know that crazy chick?” XIII said in disbelief.

            “They haven’t told you anything have they?” Beyond responded dryly.

            “Tell me what?” He asked in puzzlement. The utterly confused look on his face made him look so naïve, but remembering whose genetics he’s from, it wasn’t surprising. 

            “Just ask those scientists that were with you earlier.” Beyond replied.

            “Oh… okay…” XIII said as he attempted to take another utensil into his hand without crushing it. The amount of concentration on his face was amusing. It was hard to believe the other half of his genetics was from a man like Luthor. After ten tries, XIII finally managed to hold a fork without it crushing it into a wad of metal. He grinned brightly before turning his attention back to Beyond again. “Oh yeah, I didn’t ask who you were… So… uh… who are you?”

            Beyond found the corner of his lips twitch up. “I’m Project Beyond.”

            “I’d shake your hand, but uh…” The fork snapped again. “Yeah…”

            “It’s fine.” Beyond noted XIII was implanted with a more timid personality compared to Galatea’s rambunctious one. Cadmus must’ve wanted to control him easier compared to the Supergirl clone.

            “So that crazy blonde chick had trouble like this too?” He asked curiously.

            “At first, but she’s fine now.” He answered while wondering if Batman had to deal with Superman like this. XIII distracted him from the thoughts of facing Batman and turned his thoughts to the absurdity of Batman dealing with his Kryptonian associate.

            “So it won’t be long before I get the hang of it right?” He asked optimistically.

            “I suppose.” Beyond commented as he took a bite of his breakfast. The other project continued to talk about anything and everything that came to mind. Beyond found himself thinking the upcoming year was going to be interesting…

 

 


	4. The Beginning of a Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beyond and XIII found themselves guarding the Justice League after they surrendered themselves to Cadmus in attempts to prove their innocence.

                  “Wake up XIII.” Beyond waited at the door as the guards attempted to wake the sleeping clone.

                  “I didn’t do it!” XIII jolted awake defensively.

                  “We’re not accusing your of anything XIII.” Beyond said dryly.

                  “Oh it’s you Beyond.” XIII yawned as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. “What time is it?”

                  “0300 hours.”

                  “0300 hours? Why are we up?” XIII whined, he was sorely tempted to return to his dreamland, but he knew better than to irritate the young advisor.

                  “A mission, what else?” Beyond said bluntly as he turned to leave. “You have five minutes to clean up.”

The super clone groaned. “What mission takes place at 0300 hours? We went to bed at 0100.” He muttered irritably.

                  Indeed, the two projects had less than two hours of rest each. For the most part of the day, both of them were engaged in physical and combat training. Beyond was trained in capoeira, the Brazilian fighting style. With his small stature, using power to back up his attacks would be useless. This style would give him higher maneuverability and a good foundation in acrobatics, best to compliment the addition of a light weapon. 

                  His choice in weapon was the Taurus Millennium. A small, light-weighted gun with ten shots per round, the ideal weapon. Learning the basics of the weapon proved to be no trouble, but the only trouble he had was the fire recoil.  

                  XIII’s training was no different from what Galatea has gone through in the past. The only difference was the inclusion of the red sun simulation, also known as RSS. Dr. Selig had completed Beyond’s project request and it was used on occasion to test XIII’s ability to adapt to fighting without power. The RSS wasn’t portable yet, however, it functioned as a mean to punish either Galatea or XIII.

                  Their training was separate at first, but eventually Cadmus had joined their sessions together to test their adaptability.

                  “You want me to shoot him?” Beyond asked dully.

                  “You want him to shoot me?” XIII repeated the question in disbelief.

                  “It’s not like it’ll hurt you.” Beyond continued as he checked over his gun and the magazines. “At most it’ll just ricochet off you.”

                  “But that’s not what I meant!” XIII whined.

                  “Quit your whining XIII, let’s get this over with so we can get some dinner.” Beyond grabbed a belt with five additional magazines before walking into the simulation room.

                  “Oh man.” XIII shook his head before following the small advisor with his hands in his pockets.

                  The simulation was a replica of Crime Alley in Gotham City. XIII was grounded and paced himself at normal human speed, while Beyond maneuvered about the area with only his gun as his aide. With XIII physically older than Beyond, he had an easier time running about and his Kryptonian genetics kept him from tiring easily compared to the young advisor. With the physical disadvantage Beyond opted not to chase him. Instead, he judged XIII’s pattern before moving to the location.

                  “Yes! So far no hits!” XIII cheered to himself happily until he felt multiple impacts on his back, the Taurus Millennium was an automatic. “Aw man…”

                  “You’re losing concentration XIII.” Beyond said from the fire escape as he emptied his cartridge and reloaded another magazine.

                  “You’ve got to be kidding me! How did you find me?” XIII shouted as he ran.

                  Training continued for two hours. Beyond emptied five magazines and more, visiting the reloading stations frequently. However, during the sixth run about Crime Alley, the training was interrupted by a strong tremor. Beyond lost his footing and fell off the roof.

                  “XIII!” He shouted as he fell.

                  “Beyond!” XIII quickly flew up to catch him. “You okay? What the heck was that?”

                  “Not sure.” Beyond frowned.

                  “Resume your training. It’s none of your concern.” An announcement came from above.

                  “You flew.” Beyond commented as he checked his gun for damages from the drop. Fortunately, the gun was drop-safe and didn’t fire when it hit the ground.

                  “I didn’t fly, I jumped.” XIII defended himself with a grin. He hadn’t hovered during the landing, so they couldn’t prove him wrong.

                  Beyond gave a test shot to the wall before glancing to him. “I’ll give you a five-minute head start.”

                  “Oh come on! Should you really be saying that to someone who saved you?” XIII whined.

                  “…” Beyond lowered his gun for a moment, making XIII grin in victory against the small advisor. “Four minutes and thirty seconds.”

                  “No fair!” XIII shouted as he ran off.

                  The tremors continued for the next half an hour before they were told to stop. It turned out Superman and Huntress had broken into Cadmus. Apparently, earlier during the day Question had attempted to assassinate President Luthor and when he failed, he was captured and sent to Cadmus for interrogations. The facility shook from the fight between Superman and Captain Atom.                                       Amanda Waller ordered for Cadmus to pack and relocate immediately. XIII and Galatea were assigned to move the more valuable machineries. Beyond was assigned with transferring data and check listing whatever data they needed rid if they cannot move everything to the new site. The transferring process was completed within forty-fives minutes. By the time Beyond was in the copter to the new location, the Watch Towered fired. The shockwave from the blast nearly sent the copter crashing if not for the expert pilot.

                  He could only watch as the smoke rose from the distance. If that was how the Justice League operated, it looked like they were going to have a war soon.

                  “Beyond!” XIII ran up to him in a panic when he arrived at the new location.

                  “What is it?” Beyond asked as he was pulled out of the copter by the super clone.  

                  “I broke some of the equipment they told me to transport over.” He said in a hurry.

                  “And what do you want me to do about it?” Beyond raised a brow. XIII shifted uncomfortably, unable to answer. The young advisor sighed. “How badly did you break it?”

                  “Uh… dented? Cracked?” XIII said sheepishly.

                  “They can fix it, don’t worry about it. Unless they were delicate equipment, which I doubt they’ll let you handle. They probably had Galatea carry those.”

                  “Oh…” A wave of relief passed the clone before he smiled brightly. “Great! When do you think we can get dinner?”

                  “When we’re done settling in I assume.” Beyond muttered.

                  It was five hours before either of them had a bite to eat. By the time they were fed and cleaned up, it was already one in the morning. Not even two hours into their sleep they were dragged out their beds for their assignments.

                  “Are you sleeping?” XIII’s voice came through the speakers before Beyond glanced up at one of the many screens he was monitoring. The clone was seated in front of the prison cell, hugging onto the backrest of the seat as he rocked back and forth.

                  “I should be saying that to you, I have more pressing matters to attend to.” Beyond said dryly through his voice changer as he glanced for any movement on the screen.

                  “Ugh… How long do you think they’ll be keeping them there?” XIII yawned. “I want to go back to bed already.”

                  “Stay awake.” Beyond warned.

                  “Give the kid a break, it’s late.” A voice interrupted. “Besides, who the heck sends a kid to guard the Justice League?”

                  Six of the original seven Justice Leaguers surrendered to Cadmus in order to prove their innocence. The six included: Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Hawk Girl, Jon the Martian and The Flash. The one who spoke up on XIII’s behalf was the Flash. Beyond hadn’t bothered to respond to his question.

                  “Unless that is not the case.” Jon the Martian spoke.

                  “What do you mean?” Hawk Girl asked.

                  “The boy is obviously trained in some extent to be placed here…” the Martian murmured.

                  There was a moment of silence before XIII chuckled, Beyond glanced up briefly to see what happened. “Nice try, but it won’t work.”

                  “Jon?” Superman questioned.

                  “… I cannot read his mind.” He stated. “He must’ve been trained to block me out.”

                  “But… why send a kid?” Flash asked. “If we did try to break out, it’s not like he could do anything.”

                  “But that’s not the case is it?” Jon spoke up.

                  “What’s Cadmus planning to do with us?” Superman asked XIII.

                  XIII shrugged. “How should I know? I was only told to come here and guard you guys. You should ask Beyond this stuff, he’s probably knows more.”

                  “Beyond?” Superman questioned.

                  “XIII.” Beyond said warningly.

                  “Sorry.” The clone murmured.

                  “So you’re Beyond.” The man of steel concluded. “What is Cadmus planning to do with us?”

                  “What makes you think I would tell you?” Beyond snipped. “You’re not in the position to be questioning anyone.”

                  “Why you! We already surrendered ourselves to you! What more do you want?” Hawk Girl snapped.

                  Beyond hadn’t bothered to look at the screen. “You surrendered yourselves unconditionally without requesting for anything in exchange for your imprisonment. This is possibly the single most dumbest decision I’ve ever witness, but I supposed that was your choice. I’m only informing you what you’ve done wrong.”

                  There was a pause of silence before Superman spoke up. “Voice? You’re the Voice aren’t you? You work for Cadmus?”

                  “Oh, you guys know each other?” XIII questioned. Beyond remained silent. “Fine, be like that.”

                  “So… who’s this voice fellow?” Wonder Woman asked.

                  “He’s an advisor to the previous president… but I’m guessing you work for Lex now?” Superman asked.

                  “The president had expressed that he did not require my assistance or advisement.” Beyond responded evenly.

                  “In other words, you got fired.” Flash quipped.

                  There was a brief silence before XIII’s laughter came through. “He got you there Beyond.”

                  “What are you planning to do with us?” Superman asked again. “Now that we surrendered to you?”

                  Beyond refrained from sighing, this man was persistent. “…Absolutely nothing…” He replied after a moment.

                  “What?” Superman said in confusion.

                  “Must I repeat myself? You surrendered yourself to the jurisdiction of the government. There is nothing I can do or will do to you. I’m merely here to keep an eye on XIII.”

“Ah, he’s cranky.” XIII muttered. 

                  “Cranky? How could you tell? He’s a disfigured voice.” Green Lantern commented.

                  “I thought it was pretty obvious.” The clone said, clueless to what he had unconsciously noticed. 

                  The two projects had been around one another for so long, it was nearly instinctive for them to realize what the other was feeling. XIII couldn’t explain how he knew, but Beyond could easily tell you otherwise. One example was how well XIII could hide his irritation, his increase in cheerfulness was usually a sign something was annoying him. Since both projects were exhausted from the day’s work, neither were in a good mood.

                 Beyond in particular was in a foul mood. Not only was he watching over XIII guarding the Justice League, he was also searching for Batman. The man was the only original that hadn’t surrendered himself imprisonment. He didn’t want to face the man. To him this assignment was more difficult compared to anything he’s done so far. Other than the screen to the cell for the Justice League, he had the rest of the new Cadmus facilities on watch. One was in the conference room where all the department heads were waiting anxiously for the president’s call on the matter. 

                 He was surprised that Luthor hadn’t called immediately after what happened to Cadmus. Seeing how the man held an unending grudge on Superman, he would think this was the perfect time to act immediately. Superman was in custody it was an ideal time to extract revenge.  Yet, he waited thirty minutes after the attack before doing anything against the league. There was something suspicious about this, but he had no time to ponder. His job at the moment was to search for Batman.

                  “How much longer until my replacement comes?” XIII yawned, resting his head on the backrest of the seat.

                  “Stay awake XIII.” Beyond repeated.

                  “But I’m tired.” He whined.

                  “They’re not going to be happy to find you sleeping on the job. It’s just a few more hours before your replacement comes.” He lied.

Galatea was being prepped to attack the Watch Tower with the new generation of Ultimen. If he told XIII, he would’ve whined and the Justice League would know that the Watch Tower was under attack.

                  “Why do I have to do the first watch?” He grumbled.

                  “I seem to recall you broke some of the equipment during the transfer.” Beyond quipped.

                  “Hey! That was an accident!” XIII retorted with a pout.

                  Beyond paused in his work, sighing quietly before glancing at the prison screen again. What was a good way to keep XIII awake without constantly talking to him? “If you’re that bored, try talking to your father. After all, he is in the cell with the rest of them.” 

                  “I have a father?” XIII said in bewilderment. “Who is it?”

                  “Why don’t you figure it out yourself? There are only six of them in that cell.” Beyond noted XIII’s posture straightened.

                  “Is this some sort of trick Voice?” Superman grounded out.

                  “There is no need for me to be playing tricks with a simpleton as you.” The little advisor retorted.

                  “He wouldn’t anyway.” XIII quipped.

                  “What makes you say that?” Flash asked.

                  “There are no merits in lying to you.” XIII commented. “It’s considered a waste of time to lie to people that you cannot gain benefits from. At least that’s how Beyond operates.”

                  “And you trust a guy with so many names?” Green Lantern questioned skeptically.

                  XIII shrugged. “Don’t know about the other names, but Beyond is—”

                  “XIII.” Another warning.

                  “Sorry.” XIII murmured again. He wasn’t trained in withholding information yet, the priority was to get his powers in control and prevent anyone from reading him mind.

                  “What makes you think he won’t lie to you then?” Green Lantern continued.

                  “What merits does he have in lying to me?” He asked.

“…” They were silent.

                  “So, have you figured it out who is it yet?” Beyond asked as he watched Galatea leave the facilities.

                  “Well… I narrowed it down to the guy with the cape and the guy in the red suit, but that’s about it… can I get a hint?” No response. “Oh I give up, it’s not like it’s matters if I know who my dad is. None of the other projects have parents anyway, right?”

                  “I thought you would like to know at least.” Beyond murmured.

                  “What do you mean it doesn’t matter?” Superman interrupted. “A family is very important!”

                  “Is it important?” XIII asked curiously, startling the league at his ignorance of normal life.

                  “Take it from someone who knows.” Superman continued. “Having a family is great, it’s the best gift life can offer.”

                  “How so?” XIII asked, captivated by Superman’s propaganda of family greatness. Beyond was mildly interested as well. While he read plenty about the sociological functions of a family, he didn’t understand why so many people preferred to have such a group.  

                  “It just is. There’s no why or reason, it’s just something you have to experience yourself. My ma and pa would have loved to meet you and show you.”

                  “Hmm… What do you think Beyond?” XIII asked.

                  Beyond hadn’t responded immediately, he found himself thinking back to when the adults disappeared. When they returned, a woman hugged him for caring for her daughter while she was gone. “… It’s just… something you have to experience yourself.” He found himself repeating Superman’s line quietly.

                  “… So, Beyond which one is my dad?” XIII asked again.

                  The little advisor shook his head to clear the thoughts that lingered. “Why don’t you ask anyone save for your dad, I’m sure they’re already figured out who is your dad.”

                  “Huh?” XIII tilted his head curiously.

                  “It’s Superman’s son.” Hawk Girl commented dryly, “The resemblance is uncanny.”

                  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Superman sounded miffed.

                  “Superman… so… which one of you would be Superman?” XIII asked.

                  “Are you serious? How can you not know who Superman is?” Flash said in disbelief. “Have you been living under a rock?”

                  “Hey bite me! I can’t help it that they didn’t tell me anything! I was dragged out of bed at 0300 hours with less then two hours of sleep to guard you.” XIII grumbled.

                  “But you can ask anyone and they would know who Superman is…” Wonder Woman said in bewilderment. “How old are you… XIII is it?”

                  “Uh… a month I think… or a year, if you count my time in the tube… you’ll have to ask Beyond for the specifics.”

                  “Six weeks.” Beyond replied before they asked.

                  “What he said.” XIII chirped.

                  “So you’re a Cadmus project!” Flash concluded. “What are you supposed to be? A Superman clone?”

                  XIII shrugged. “Don’t ask me, I wasn’t told anything.”

                  Beyond frowned, they were starting to pry into areas they shouldn’t enter. Before he could interrupt, he caught movement on one of his screens. Temporarily ignoring the prisoners, he focused on that screen and noted Batman had broken in to confront Waller in the conference room. He quickly alerted security to assist Waller. The prisoners were more distracting than he expected.

                   “It seems that your replacement won’t be coming XIII.” Beyond interrupted, in attempts to lead the league’s attention elsewhere.

                  “What? Why not?” He whined dejectedly.

                  “She was reassigned.” He continued as XIII gave a dejected groaned and slumped over his seat. “But I don’t suppose it’ll be much longer before you’re allowed to return to your quarters.”

                  “Huh?” XIII was puzzled.

                  “I do wonder why Batman hadn’t surrendered himself as the rest of you have. He has no superpowers, if Cadmus was to capture him, he wouldn’t stand a chance.” He commented.

                  “Batman is more than capable of taking care of himself.” Wonder Woman defended.

                  “But he’s only human, why such confidence on him?” Beyond continued to question, none of them seemed bothered at all by Batman’s actions. “He’s quite confident, breaking into Cadmus the way he had.” 

                  “What?” The League was obviously startled that someone had spotted the dark knight breaking in.

                  “In addition to monitoring XIII, I am keeping track of Batman’s movements. Superman, you’re aware of my duties and capabilities, is that really a surprise?”

                  “What are you going to do to him?” Wonder Woman asked.

                  “Hmm… Well he didn’t surrender himself like the rest of you… If he gets captured, I guess he’ll go through punishment or something.” XIII shrugged.        

                  Beyond paid no attention to the rest of the League’s attempt to defend the man after that. He was busy listening to the conversation between Waller and the dark knight.

                  “Voice! Beyond!” They tried to catch his attention, but he paid them little heed, opting to watch the exchange between Waller and Batman. “What are you going to do—?”

                  “XIII.” He spoke softly, silencing the group. “Release them.”

                  “Huh?” They were puzzled.

                  “Their keeper is here to pick them up. You can return to bed after you do so.” Beyond said.

                  “… If you say so.” XIII shrugged before turning off the electric field that kept the group in their prison.

                  “Next time, don’t stand in the sidelines waiting for your keeper to clear your name.” Beyond interjected one last word before XIII lead them out.

                  “There was a reason that you have told that boy his father was in this group and I’m certain you’re aware of why you have done this as well.” The Martian stated as he stopped at the door.

                  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Beyond retorted, but he knew.

                  “If that is what you claim, I have nothing else to say.” Jon said. “XIII said you don’t do things without merits, what merits were you looking for when you told him that his father was among us?”

                  Beyond couldn’t respond to that. The Martian left with the last word in. He saw the group reunited with the dark knight and XIII spoke with them for a moment before Superman placed a hand on his shoulder. He couldn't’ make out what the man of steel was saying, but XIII had an odd expression on his face before he flew away from them.

                  Batman looked towards the direction XIII sped off to before speaking with the rest of the league. They seemed… happy. To his surprise, Batman glanced up at the camera, looking directly into it as if he could see him. Beyond found himself watching until they were gone. XIII waited for him until he was dismissed.

                  “… Batman seems a little familiar.” XIII commented as they walked. “Sort of like you… is he your dad?”

                  Despite all exhaustion and stress, Beyond found himself laughing freely, completely relaxed. “Simply amazing… and somewhat ironic, that you were able to find my father, but you were not able to find your own.”

                  “What?” XIII was puzzled at was so hilarious.

                  Beyond stifled his laughter. “Nothing.”

                  The conflict between Cadmus and the Justice League ended with plenty of property destruction and several casualties on Cadmus’ part. Galatea had died in the conflict, electrocuted when she attempted to eliminate Supergirl. There was no proof to who was responsible for the attack, but everyone was on high alert nonetheless. 

                  Cadmus resumed operations after a week. Beyond’s failure was not missed. As punishment, he was swamped with paperwork alongside with the task in finding the culprit to the attack. All the leads he found were mere implications, nothing solid to hold in court. He was quite certain it was President Luthor’s doing, but the man was cunning. It was a pointless endeavor to convict the man. With his money and talent, he would be out within months.

                  Instead, he used his time to research the areas around Cadmus and plot his escape. He had enough of Cadmus. It was getting too dangerous to stay within their control. The thought of running away hadn’t crossed his mind in the past because he knew he couldn’t escape on his power alone.

He was nothing more than a child, but this time it was different. He had a malleable super-being at his disposal. While it may be manipulative that he was using XIII for his own means, in the long run, it’d be better for the both of them to leave Cadmus permanently. 

                  XIII had the power to leave if he wanted to, but he lacked the brains and motivation to pull it off. If he were to manipulate him into wanting to leave Cadmus, the whole escape fiasco would be considerably easier. For two months, while XIII was training to replace Galatea, he was working on a plan. He waited until XIII’s training completed, he needed whatever advantage he could get.  

                  Unfortunately, there was a risk. The more he waited, the higher the risk that XIII becomes loyal to Cadmus. He searched through Galatea’s old mission records and picked out the most gruesome missions. He needed to traumatize XIII before he became desensitized. By the time XIII was ready, his plans were in motion.

                  “Did you hear Beyond? They’re going to reassign me! No more training! YES!” He cheered excitedly.

                  “Do you even know what you’re going to be doing?” Beyond asked.

                  “Uh… not really, they haven’t told me yet.” XIII scratched the back of his head.

                  “Most likely you’ll be getting Galatea’s job.” Beyond said as he opened up the pre-organized folders on his screen.

                  “So… what did she do?” XIII asked as he hovered over Beyond’s chair.

                  “Why don’t you look for yourself?” He offered before playing the files.

                  At the first instant of screaming and desperate begging, Beyond glanced at XIII’s reaction. The super clone paled and covered his mouth in horror. His eyes were remained unblinking as he sat through every file. Not once did he ask for Beyond to stop.

                  “…She… did all that?” He whispered weakly.

                  “Yes.” Beyond replied, looking him in the eye. “Do you think you can take up her job?”

                  “Of course I can!” He said confidently but his trembling voice betrayed him. “I can be just as good as her.”

                  “Good, you might even have to kill me someday.” Beyond said quietly.

                  XIII’s eyes widened. “What? Why? Why would I have to kill you?”

                  “Because we’re expendable.” The room was secured, his personal working quarters was kept off monitors to prevent infiltrators from finding him. “When my services are no longer required, Cadmus will dispose of me… Galatea would’ve liked that job, don’t you think?”

                  “That’s not funny.” XIII protested.

                  “I wouldn’t worry too much about it. It’ll be a long while before they decide I outlived my uses.” Beyond shrugged carelessly as he resumes to his work. “So when are they going to assign you to her job?”

                  “… I don’t want it.” XIII murmured after a long moment of silence.

                  “But they’ll kill you if you don’t. The RSS is close to completion.” Beyond warned.

                  “But I don’t want her job!” XIII argued.

                  “Where would you go then?” Beyond reasoned. It sounded counterproductive to what he’s aiming for, but he wanted to make sure XIII knows what he was getting into even if he was going to use him.

                  “I…” XIII was lost for words.

                  “If you refuse, they would kill you. If you run away, they will find you. _Then_ they will kill you. What can you do?” Beyond asked.

                  XIII frowned in deep thought. “What… about… Superman?” He asked curiously.

                  “What about him?” Beyond said evenly.

                  “He said I could go to him for help if I ever decide to leave Cadmus! He can help!” XIII said excitedly.

                  “Do you know where he is? Or how to contact him?” Beyond asked.

                  XIII sulked. “No, I don’t know…” He paused for a moment before realization crossed his face. “But… you should know right?” He grinned brightly. “You’re in charge of overlooking Justice League people. Superman is part of this Justice League group right?”

                  “And you want me to be an accomplice?” Beyond raised a brow. “What makes you think I’m not going to tell Cadmus about your attempt of running away?”

                  XIII grin widened. “Because if you were, they would’ve been here to detain me already.”

                  “You do know, I’ll be assigned to hunt you down and organize your capture if you are going to run away.” Beyond commented dryly. The unspoken word of punishment lingered in the air. The repercussion of failure was steep.

                  “That is why you’re going to be running away with me!” XIII chirped brightly.

                  “To where? Superman is your father, not mine.” Beyond stated.

                  “To Batman of course! I’m sure he’ll take you in. After all, pa said family would cherish you right?”

                  “Pa?” Beyond raised a brow.

                  XIII laughed sheepishly. “That’s what he said.”

                  “I see this running away thing is already stuck in your head.” Beyond gave a low sigh, but internally he was relieved that his plans were going well. “Cadmus isn’t going to let us off easily. They’ll be coming after us and trying to take us back even if we’re in their custody.”

                  “Then let’s make harder for them! We’re both fully trained! We can take them on!” XIII argued.

                  Beyond studied him for a moment before turning to his screen. “If you’re that determined… We can leave tonight after lights out. There’ll be a distraction for us to take advantage of.”

                  “What sort of distraction?” XIII asked.

                  “You’ll know when you hear it.” Beyond continued. “You better not be sleeping when it happens. Once you hear it, leave your quarters and knock out a maintenance or security guard and take his uniform, keep the clothes you’re wearing, you’ll have to change out of it after we’re out of the building.”

                  “But that’s fine for me, how are you getting out?” XIII asked. Beyond raised a finger to point at the ceiling above. The other project glanced up in confusion until he saw the vents. “You serious? Oh, what am I talking about, of course you’re serious.”

                  “If we fail, a second chance will be near impossible… are you sure?” He gave him one last chance to back out.

                  XIII shook his head firmly. “No, we’re going to do this… I’m kind of curious about this family thing Superman was talking about anyway…” He said sheepishly.

                  “Very well then. At lights out.” Beyond concluded.  

                  The plan was set. The only thing left was to finish up the last details to their departure. He was not planning to leave his life’s work to Cadmus. All records on the Justice League were set for a memory wipe the moment they leave. He will be the only person with a copy of the archives in a small portable hard drive. The drive was coded specifically to keep out unwanted eyes from accessing the data.  

                  Even so, there was still one last thing he wanted to take before he left. The completed RSS project. He was not leaving them anything he had a hand in. He triggered that lights out before he crawled his way through the vents to steal the RSS flashlight and all its research materials. He had only until the backup generator kicked in to get out.

His plan for distraction was in two waves. The first was a power outage, which is easily done by overriding the power grid. The second was to send out false reports to the security staff. He made pre-recordings of himself alerting the staff of infiltrators in the lower levels. While everyone ran in confused chaos, he made his way out of the facility.

                  The grids from the outer vents were unscrewed days ahead of time. Beyond needed to kick it lightly for it to fall out. XIII was waiting for him on the other end. 

                  “That was some distraction!” XIII’s excited voice quickly made him hushed the clone.         

                  “Are you trying to get us caught?” He hissed. “They’re not going to be distracted for long, we need to leave.”

                 “Where to then? I can fly—”

                 “No flying! They’ll be expecting us to be in the air. We’re taking the train.” Beyond said as they hurriedly moved away from the building.

                 “Train?” XIII seemed confused as they raced into the crowded area.

                 “It’s northwest from here in three miles. We can take the train to the next city first before we go to Metropolis.”

                 “Why don’t we just go directly to Metropolis?” XIII asked before they found a secluded spot.

                 “Because they’ll be expecting us to go to either Metropolis or Gotham first. We’re throwing them off. Think you can speed us to the station without being spotted?”

                  XIII glanced around. “Just running right?”

                “Yes.” Beyond replied.

                “No problem.” He said with Beyond in his arms and sped towards the station. They reached there within seconds. Glancing at the schedules, there was a train leaving immediately. It was heading towards Central City. There was no time to be picky. “XIII sneak us into train EB13, but do it when it starts to leave the station.”

                “Got it.” XIII murmured as they walked about casually. It was five minutes before the last call for the train was announced and the doors began to close. XIII plucked Beyond off the ground and sped in before it closed completely.

                The two hadn’t relaxed even as the train pulled out of the station. They waited at the door watching as the train distanced them from station. They didn’t find seats until the station was completely out of sight. Not that they needed to, there were few people on the late train. When they passed an employee, they swiped punched tickets and placed it above their seats. It wouldn’t do to have them realize they were stowaways. Beyond researched extensively to prevent such simple things from troubling them.

                  Until they reach Central, they could not relax, but XIII was not one for silence. Within fifteen minutes, he was chattering away. “Hehe, I can’t believe we actually did that.” He chuckled.

                  “Don’t be too happy yet.” Beyond murmured. “They’ll be after us soon enough.”

                  XIII sighed as he peeked through the closed blinds. “Hey Beyond…”

                  “What?”

                  “We’re not going to get caught right?” The clone asked.

                  “… I don’t know.” He murmured truthfully.

                  “Hmm… Then why don’t we make it interesting?” He leaned forward with his arms resting on his legs. “Let’s make a bet! Whoever that gets caught first loses.”

                  “What’s the point of this?” Beyond frowned. If they get caught it means certain death or worse.

                  XIII grinned. “Come on, it’ll be fun. The one that doesn’t get caught, gets a free request from the other person, a rule free request!”

                  “This is ridiculous.” Beyond muttered. If either of them were caught, neither could collect. Why would he even… Beyond noticed XIII shaking, trembling with nervous laughter. The game was a guise to hide the fear he had in getting caught. Beyond looked away as he played along. “Fine, whoever gets caught first loses.”

                  This was a game neither of them wanted to lose. 


	5. Survival Initiative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After fleeing from Cadmus with XIII, Beyond struggles to survive in the outside world without any of the spartan comforts Cadmus once provided him.

                  Beyond was exhausted, he never expected it to be this cold. Two months since he and XIII ran away. Seven weeks since they separated in an attempt to throw Cadmus off their trail. He directed XIII to the Daily Planet at Metropolis, even if the super clone was a naïve little idiot, at least Superman would be able to recognize him and keep him out of Cadmus’s reach. While he planned for the super clone’s well being, he miscalculated horribly on his own. Rarely did he need to leave headquarters in the past. He had forgotten to take the changing seasons into consideration. Running away with nothing more than the clothing on your back during November, now nearing January was not his best idea.

                  He wasn’t certain why he was exhausted. He did what he could to keep himself alive, taken food where he found the cleanest and drank water from the snow he melted and heated with the RSS. The RSS was a red sun simulation and radiated heat. If he hadn’t taken it, he might not have lasted as long as he had. He took great caution in using it. Increased radiation would attract attention. Fortunately, his genetics was developed to resist mutations, but there was a risk of over exposure. He limited himself to using the RSS for only a few short hours every day.

                  “Hey kid, what are you doing out without a jacket?” He hadn’t notice he slipped into plain sight in his tiredness. A gloved hand rested on his shoulder, stopping him from walking any further. “You’re going to freeze your butt off at this rate, where are your parents?” The man asked.

                  “I’m…” He murmured as his vision started to blur. He recalled the man looking very worried with his red locks of hair peeking out of his silly looking wool hat.

                  “Kid?” The man look panicked as everything started to fade. “KID!”

                  Beyond blacked out. His body needed rest badly. He was in no condition to worry about his drive or the RSS falling into the hands of a stranger. When he next woke he found himself in a bed surrounded by machines. An IV was stabbed into his arm, feeding him medications and much-needed nutrients.

                  He sighed in dejection. Two months was how long he lasted running away from Cadmus. He should’ve known it was impossible. He was about to call out for the guards when he realized the equipment around him was substandard. The model number on the machine was a few generations behind. Glancing about the room, he noted the sterile smell in the air and the breathing of other children around him. Where was he?

                  _How long was I out?_ He wondered sleepily as his eyes threatened to drift off again.

                  “Oh! You’re awake!” A nurse cried out in surprise but quickly silenced herself to keep from waking the other children. “How are you feeling?”

                  “Where am I?” Beyond asked as she fussed over him and helped him sit up. He was too weak to do so himself.

                  “You’re in Central Hospital.” She answered before pulling out a thermometer strip. “Open.” She said before stuffing it under his tongue. “The Flash brought you in about three days ago.”

                  _Three days!_ Beyond was in disbelief. He was out that long?

                  “What on earth were you doing running around without a jacket with a hundred and four degree fever?” She fussed. “You’re lucky Flash found you when he did. Or else it would’ve been too late. You caught pneumonia.” 

                   Beyond tensed. “The Flash saved me?” 

                   The nurse pulled the strip out of his mouth and checked it. “Ah good, your fever is gone. Just some rest and a good meal and you’ll be better in no time.”

                   “Where are my things?” He asked. His clothing was replaced with a hospital gown.

                   “They’re in storage. You’ll get them back when it’s time for you to go. Now, what’s your name and how can we contact your parents?”

                   “…” He didn’t answer. Even if he lied, Cadmus would be in Central the moment his runaway status was noted. Remaining nameless was his only choice at the moment. His time in Central was up he needed to leave.

                   “You stay here, I’ll get a doctor to check on you.” She said before leaving.

                   Beyond waited until she was gone before trying to climb out of bed, but his body refused to move. He dropped back against his pillow exhausted, but he hasn’t given up yet. He would have to wait until his strength returned. He sorely hoped Cadmus doesn’t decide to come to Central looking for him.

                   “Hey! You’re awake!” A cheery voice interrupted his breakfast the next morning.

                   “WOAH! It’s the Flash!” The other children said excitedly.

                   “Hey kids!” The man greeted them before approaching Beyond’s bedside. “You gave that guy a fright when you passed out on him. He was running around with you in his arms screaming for help. So how you feeling?” He asked.

                   “I’m fine.” Beyond reply quietly before resuming to his meal. _That guy?_ He must’ve meant the stranger he blacked out on.

                   Flash gave a low whistle. “You’re a cold little popsicle aren’t you? Hmm… Though, you probably would’ve been one anyway, with you running around with a jacket. So, mind telling me why you were running like that?”

                   Beyond glanced up to him, then to the children they were listening intently. Even if he wanted to talk to the man, he wouldn’t talk in front of a bunch of children. “Yes, I do mind.”

                   Flash glanced between him and the children before he gave a knowing smile. “Ah, you’re a little shy aren’t you? We can fix that.”

                   In seconds, he found himself wrapped in bed covers and taken to another room.

                  “I wasn’t done with my breakfast.” Beyond complained before the man laughed.

                  “I’m sure you can get another one. Hmm… you remind me of someone.” He pondered before shrugging. “So why’d you run away from home?”

                  “… I didn’t run away from home.” He wasn’t lying. Cadmus was not what he considered a home.

                  “But you did run away.” Flash continued. “I don’t recognize you from any of the orphanages or any of the families in Central… So you’re not from around here, are you?”

                   That startled Beyond, he hadn’t expected the Flash to know the population of his city so well to notice that he was not even part of Central.

                   “Ah, don’t be so surprised, it’s not hard to notice you’re not part of Central. Gotham right?” He asked kindly.

                   To Beyond the Flash was the strangest one out of the original seven in the Justice League. His rogues’ gallery was a joke. Trickster was nothing more than a poor imitation of the Joker. Captain Cold was a blue-collared worker with a toy. Mirror Master seemed to have potential to be a dangerous if not for a passing rumor that Flash shoved his own weapon down his throat. Captain Boomerang was probably the only capable rogue in his gallery.

                   It was strange that it was this man’s death that caused an alternate Superman to become a Justice Lord. Cadmus fretted over the matter greatly since Lex Luthor became president. He spent hours trying to find out why this man was so important in keeping the Justice League from turning into the Justice Lords. Yet, every time he came up to the matter of Flash, he met with a deadend.  

                   “I guess you don’t want to talk about it.” Flash concluded when he refused to talk. “Well, I won’t make you tell me if you don’t want to, but there are people here to help you if you would. They’re really nice, so you don’t have to be scared.”

                   Beyond glared at him, he wasn’t scared of him or the hospital staff. “I’m not scared.”

                   Flash was startled by his glare. “A tough guy aren’t you?” He teased, ruffling his hair up affectionately. “If you’re not scared, you can tell uncle Flash all about it. I’m all ears.” Beyond was quite certain the glare he gave Flash was one questioning his intelligence. “You know… you really remind me of someone… Batty…”

                   “I’m not going back.” He murmured. Flash was persistent.

                   “Can’t blame you with what’s going on in Gotham right now.” He sighed.

                   Beyond resisted the temptation to ask what happened to Gotham. “I’m tired…” He rubbed his eye trying to convince the speedster to return him to his room.

                   “Ah, right you’re recovering. Sorry.” Flash picked him up and returned him to his bed. The man didn’t leave immediately after. In fact, he stayed to talk with the other children in the ward. The man confused him greatly, why have the need to converse with the common-folk? It’s just wasting time. “I’ll see you tomorrow… Uh, what’s your name again?”

                   “Anthony.” He found himself lying automatically before covering his mouth in surprise. The man caught him off guard, he wasn’t expecting him to talk to him again when he gotten that tidbit of information.

                   “See ya Anthony!” Flash said cheerily before disappearing from the room.

                   Beyond glared at the spot where the man stood. He will return the next day, which meant he needed to run away before he gets back. Given his discharge from the hospital was likely tomorrow or the day after, he doesn’t want the Flash or anyone else to stick him into the orphanage or keep him in custody until his _parents_ were found. He risked enough to rest in the hospital for four days already. He’ll have to leave before the reports of missing children reach them.

                   His problem now was in the form of two other children sharing the same room with him and the locked pediatric ward. Even if he managed to bypass both of them, he still needed to retrieve his clothing and the RSS before he could leave. He spent the majority of the morning plotting his escape. It wasn’t until after lunch that he proceeded with his plan. He needed all the energy he could muster to get out of this civilian fortress.

                   The children weren’t a problem, after lunch they took their naps. Judging from their sizes, he waged a guess that they were around five or six years of age. They must’ve mistaken his age since he was so small for a nine-year-old. The RSS and his clothing weren’t hard to find, the storage wasn’t too far from the patients’ ward. He even managed to swipe a jacket from another bin.

                   The vents was likely his best friend. Allowing him to sneak into a bathroom outside of the pediatrics ward sneaking into an empty office. He hacked into the computer and made a quick search of his location and directions on how to leave Central. At the sound of a jiggling doorknob, he made haste to leave, not bothering to cover his computer tracks. The information on it was useless for anyone looking for him.

                   Slipping on the jacket and pulling the hood over his head, no one noticed that he was a patient. He followed a family out of the hospital before hitching a ride on a bus to the train station. In the two months he was in Central, he made it a priority to familiarize himself with his surroundings. He survived by foraging and practicing his poor thieving skills. Food he could’ve gotten out of the trash, but clean water, he needed to buy before there was snow about.

                  Of course, it wasn’t easily being a thief. He was caught on three separate occasions. Fortunately, for him, the people of Central were generous to let him off with only a scolding. No one bothered to drag him off to the police. Had it been Gotham, he was certain that he would’ve gotten more than a scolding. 

                  Nightfall neared when he reached the station. Beyond expected that it would be difficult to sneak aboard one of the trains since he was without XIII, but he never expected Flash to show up.

                  “Have you seen a little boy? Around six years old or so, about ye high.” Flash lowered his hand to Beyond’s height. “With black hair, blue eyes? His name is Anthony.”

                   Beyond frowned. He underestimated the Flash. With the idiotic front he placed around his persona. He never expected the speedster to actually have enough brains to narrow his location. Beyond glanced at the list of departing trains and spotted Metropolis departing soon. He wanted to go to Gotham, but oddly, it wasn’t on the list. He would have to check why when he gets to Metropolis. From what he gathered in the hospital, something must’ve happened.

                   Without XIII there to help him sneak onto the train, he hid behind the luggage carts waiting for a distraction before slipping in. If the other passengers noticed, they didn’t comment about it. Once on the train, he kept himself hidden, staying away from the windows and seats. Flash could still easily run through each train. He hid in the bathroom of the train until it reached Metropolis.

                   Once there, he repeated the same method he had in Central, except without getting sick and hospitalized this time around. He spent three months hoping to find XIII and possibly find out what happened in Gotham. Unfortunately, the big blue boy scout was the only one he spotted in the skies. XIII was nowhere to be seen, but he wasn’t worried. It was likely he was just relocated by the man of steel. It wasn’t likely that the man would try to take care of both XIII and the city. Especially when it was much easier to dump XIII off to his parents and Supergirl.

                  The library was a treasure of knowledge. Unfortunately, he didn’t manage to get into one until the second month. He used the first month to scout for possible places to rest and eat. Places he will least likely run into a rogue fight with Superman. He knew the banks, the shopping districts and the bay were hot spots for these conflicts. There was a small chance that these conflicts might spill over to the other districts, but he’ll have a higher chance of survival knowing where the red zones were.

                  Fortunately, the number of destructive crimes takes place during the day rather than the night. It was rare that Beyond needed to keep an eye out during the night when he slept. Breaking into the library had taken sometime since he was without equipment, but he needn’t to worry about being caught by the Kryptonian. The man rarely patrols during the night. Modifying the security recordings was a simple matter of placing the footage on a loop.

                  Not that it mattered anyhow. There was nothing valuable to steal from a library. The cameras were only there to keep an eye on vandals. The computers had no password protection, giving him no trouble going into the system to search for news on the last six months. Gotham suffered a massive earthquake plunging its residents into hell. Plagues and chaos raged through Gotham while the government refused to send any assistance. President Luthor had denied the Justice League from helping. All bridges and transport to Gotham were severed. 

                  Going through the reports, Beyond found Gotham renamed to No Man’s Land. It was written off from the United States. Bruce Wayne attempted to save Gotham, by bringing the matter up to the courts, but because of his airhead playboy persona, it backfired. A poor miscalculation. Batman was probably at his busiest now, no doubt spending little time with the Justice League. If Beyond was still in Cadmus, he would have suggested to use this time to attack the Justice League. Without Batman, there was a greater chance for Cadmus’ success, but that was no longer his concern.

                  As the weather warmed, he needn’t to worry about catching pneumonia again, but there were more pressing matters at hand. He needed to clear Project Batman Beyond from the Cadmus’s database. When he left he only bothered with destroying his Justice League archives. At the time he didn’t think his files were important, there was no point in Cadmus trying to recreate the project. It took too much time and they wouldn’t get the results they were looking for. However, in hindsight, he realized that Cadmus could use those files to hunt him down. There were plenty of character evaluations and other information on his person. Dissecting his train of thoughts wouldn’t be hard with that at hand.

                  He needed to hack into Cadmus’ system, but he can’t do it with any common computer, it can’t handle what he needed. Lex Corp would be the best choice considering how Luthor was connected to Cadmus, but going there would be equivalent to surrendering himself. He had no equipment. He was extremely young and would look out of place in a company that developed weapons for a living. Not to mention, Superman patroled near the building quite frequently. 

                  It wasn’t worth the risk. His second option was to sneak into Gotham and see if he can scavenge anything from Wayne Tech, but considering how dangerous that city was. It wasn’t going to be easy. Even if he managed to get into No Man’s Land, he would still have to deal with what chaos the government left it in. From what he gathered, Batman’s rogues carved up the city into territories when it was abandoned.

                  Risking Gotham was probably more dangerous than attempting to break into Lex Corp, but he was determined. Between the two, the opportunity costs in Gotham were more appealing. If he failed at Lex Corp, he would be sent back to Cadmus most indefinitely. If he failed at Gotham, the worse that would happen was death. At this point, he rather die than return to Cadmus. If he had a choice, he much preferred to be alive and out of their reach. Determined, he would attempt Gotham, but he wasn’t going to charge in blindly. He decided to give himself one last test before venturing into the dangerous and abandoned city.

                 “Excuse me miss.” Beyond said shyly as he tugged on the woman’s sleeve.

                 “Beat it kid, I’m busy.” The woman said as she looked about the streets for a taxi.

                 "B-but.” Beyond trembled his lower lip. “I’m lost.”

                 She sighed exasperatedly as she knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulder. “All right, don’t go crying on me now kid. What happened?”

                 “You’re going to help me?” He sniffled.

                 “Lois? Is something wrong?” A mental grin crossed Beyond’s mind as the man he was looking for approached them. He really wondered how dense the people were in Metropolis. The man was wearing only a pair of glasses to hide his identity.

                 “The kid here is lost. Deal with him for me will you Smallville?” She said as she flagged down a taxi.

                 “But—” The man of steel attempted to protest, but she left, leaving him with Beyond. Clark Kent, sighed before kneeling down to the boy’s level to talk to him. “So what’s wrong?”

                 “I-I was supposed to be at the train station with my mom. W-we were going to Baltimore, but I accidentally got off the bus with this lady I thought was my mom. Now I don’t know where I am!” He hiccupped.

                 “Now, now, it’s going to be all right. Does your mom have a cell phone?” He asked.

                 Beyond nodded. “But I don’t remember her number.”

                 “Do you remember the number of anyone that has it?” Clark asked.

                 “No…” He shook his head dejectedly.

                  The man of steel sighed. “Which station is she at?”

                 “Penn Station.” He replied rubbing his eye.

                 “All right, what’s your name son?” He asked comfortingly.

                 “Jacob.” Beyond lied.

                 “Okay, we’re going to go to Penn Station together okay Jacob? We’re going to find your mom.” Clark reached out a hand for Beyond to hold.

                 “O-Okay.” Beyond hiccupped before grabbing hold of the man’s hand. They took a taxi to Penn Station and Clark took him to the platform in search for his supposed mother.

                 “So how does your mom—” Clark paused in mid-question looking like he heard something.

                 “Is something wrong mister?” Beyond asked with an innocent tone.

                 “Can you stay here for a second?” Clark asked.

                 “But you said you were going to help me find my mom.” Beyond protested.

                 The man’s face paled. “Just stay here, I’ll be right back!” He said before running off.

                 Beyond watched him disappear before a smirk crossed his face. _It worked better then I thought._ He strolled out of the station and hitched a ride to the pier. He wanted to see how far he could trick the blue boy scout in playing his game, but regardless if he succeeded or not the distraction would have came into the picture. Hours, prior to approaching Lois Lane as a lost child, he went to Penn Station and snuck into the control booth to reroute the tracks for two trains.

                  His self-imposed test was to see how well he could do in convincing Superman that he was a child in need and how long he can keep up the charade. The trains were merely a precaution, if he had failed, the Kryptonian would be distracted enough for him to escape. Stopping two incoming trains from colliding with one another should be more than enough time for him to get out of the man’s hearing range. And it served well to his purpose. He deemed himself ready to take on the nightmares of Gotham.

                  By the time he reached the pier, there was no sign of the man of steel. He snuck aboard a ship that made illegal runs to Gotham City. He recalled Penguin from Batman’s rogues’ gallery having control over shipping lanes. Despite Gotham’s current status as No Man’s Land, it was not likely Penguin’s business was affected anyhow.

                  Sneaking into the cargo ship wasn’t a problem with his small frame. He was able to slip into tight areas where no one would think to look, but leaving was a different matter. Had it not been for the dark knight’s appearance, he was sure he was caught. He used his distraction to leave the ship and moved into the shadows. Once safe, he turned his attention back to the flurry of fists and guns. Only he realized it wasn’t Batman that was fighting, it was Batgirl.

                  Strange, he seemed to recall Batgirl was out of commission for quite some time.  He hadn’t stayed long to watch the fight. Beyond wasted enough time as it was. With the city in chaos, he needed to familiarize himself as soon as possible. It seemed near impossible, the city was a desolate wasteland and its inhabitants were cunning and desperate.

                 Resources were scarce. The people that hadn’t managed to leave before the earthquake was competing with one another for what little were left. Beyond was almost regretful that he left Metropolis, but he wasn’t. Gotham, No Man’s Land, was the safest place from Cadmus at the moment. They wouldn’t dare to venture into this danger zone. It would be suicide even with their capabilities. 

                  It was suicidal for him to even venture into this city. He found no food, no water and no haven. He managed a week before collapsing outside of Robinson Park. Before he lost consciousness, he spotted shadows approaching him. Whatever it was, he hoped he won’t feel a thing when he died.

Beyond hadn’t expected to wake up in a comfortable bed of plants and greeted by a plant-like woman.

                  “You must be hungry.” She said as she offered a bowl of fruits to him.

                  He stared at her warily. She was part of Batman’s rogues. Poison Ivy, the mistress of plants. She wasn’t bothered by his stare. She was patient letting him think, letting him decide. The fruits she offered looked delicious, tantalizing, but then again she could have easily poisoned it. Either he die from starvation or from food poisoning. Oh the irony, he was given choices by someone else for a change. And he knew there was only one answer. He grabbed the first apple he saw and devoured it in haste before reaching for the next one. If he was going to die, he might as well die full.

                  “Slow down, no one will take it from you.” She soothed. Beyond kept an eye on her as he ate, who knows if she would attack him like this. “The other children found you at the edge of the park. How long have you been wandering Gotham?”

                  Beyond swallowed the mouthful of peach and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. There was no harm in telling her. “A week.”

                  “Would you like to stay?” She asked.

                  Why was she offering food and shelter in this wasteland of a city? Was she expecting some sort of return? But what returns can she expect from children? He looked down at the dripping fruit in his hand. He was in no position to reject. There was no way he could survive in Gotham.

                 “Yes…” He murmured as he polished off the rest of the fruits.

                  The woman gave a small smile, it wasn’t threatening nor was it menacing. “You must be exhausted. You can rest a little longer before I introduce you to the other children.” She said before retrieving the bowl from him and tucked him back into the odd plant-grown bed.

                  His body couldn’t agree more with her suggestion before he slipped into a peaceful slumber. His guess was that the fruits were drugged to create this false sense of security, but it wasn’t until later that he found the woman was genuinely trying to help him and the other children. She claimed that she only cares for her plants and they were just there to help her tend to her garden, but he could see she cared for all these children.

                  A month in her care, he noticed the children differed from other children he met. They weren’t as dependent as the brats he came across. Compared to them, they were like miniature adults. They adored Ivy to no ends showering her with affectionate hugs and sweet words. Beyond showed no such affection towards the woman, but he had great respect for her. The only thing he could do for her was to not shove her away when she decided to dote on him. She regularly rotated among the children. Everyone got equal amounts of love and affection from the woman.  

                  It seemed like he was going to remain in her care for a long while, at least until the appearance of Clayface. The blob came to bargain with Ivy to supply a food auctioning, using the children as laborers. She refused, wanting no part in his schemes. She even attempted to kill him with a poisonous kiss, but it had little affect against him. She was overpowered and imprisoned in the chamber below the lake. Beyond and the other children were delegated to growing and harvesting the produce in his ruling. 

                  Beyond found himself confused and lost. His instincts and training told him to survive, told him to draw no attention to himself, but his thoughts returned to the woman again and again. She cared for him as if he was her own. She protected him when he and the others were threatened. His chest gnawed painfully. Why did it bother him that the woman lost and tortured by this monstrosity?

                  He endured the slave labor for a month before Batman and Robin came along. Beyond watched the conflict in a safe distance. He made sure to take note of where the duo dropped their equipment as they fought, so he can retrieve them later. As the fight progressed, the other children took cover. Rose, one of the girls, tried to drag him away from the fight to take refuge with the other children. He reluctantly left the fight and waited with them until it was over.

                  Minutes passed, but the fight felt like it went on for hours. The group huddled together hoping that Batman and Robin would emerge as the victor and their caretaker Ivy would come back safe and sound. Fifteen minutes later, an explosion shook the ground, the group whimpered in fear while Beyond distracted himself with listing the locations of the dropped weapons. There was no use to doing nothing as he waited for the fight to end.

                  After what seemed like an eternity, Ivy returned with Batman and Robin following closely behind. The children embraced Ivy in tears of joy. Beyond kept close to the group to avoid looking out of place, but his attention was on the dark knight. He looked rugged, unshaven, exhausted and disheartened.

                  “Ivy, a moment.” Batman spoke lowly drawing the woman away from her adoring children.

                  Robin stayed behind asking how they were fairing with what happened. How was it with Ivy and Clayface, but Beyond’s attention was other the other pair. Batman was going to leave the children in her care. He would not be taking them away from her while the city was still in chaos. In exchange for her freedom, he bargained for her to supply food to the other survivors in the city. That was the last he saw of the dark knight.

                  The next time another visitor came about was a month later. This time it not was not a foe, but an injured friend. Harleen Quinzel, Harley Quin, Joker’s henchgirl. If not for her costume, Beyond wouldn’t have recognize her when they found her. She lost her hat, her blonde pigtails hung limply at her face. Her face littered with bruises instead of her white-faced makeup. Her costume was torn. Joker had attempted to kill her again. Ivy was furious at the clown, but hadn’t gone after the man in favor of healing the young woman back to health. Beyond avoided her like the plague, still recalling the clown’s haunting laughs. The henchgirl had not stayed long much to Ivy’s annoyance. The blonde woman insisted she returned to the Joker’s side.  

                  Another month passed and summer came to an end, Gotham was no longer considered No Man’s Land. Batman managed to take the city back from the grips of hell and the city was reinstated. With the city slowly returning to its previous galore, the park was no longer a haven for Ivy. Even at the threat of herbicide the woman refused to leave. She would rather die with her paradise than to give it back. 

                  Her attempt at martyrdom failed when Rose was accidentally poisoned. The woman surrendered immediately at the threat of the children. That gnawing pain at his chest returned as he watched her cuffed and shipped away to Arkham. He didn’t stay long enough for the authorities to send him to the orphanage. The moment Ivy was gone he snuck away from the group and disappeared among the crowds.

                  Life in Gotham resumed as relief efforts and the Justice League entered the city and assisted its rejuvenation. Weeks after Ivy’s imprisonment, Beyond resumed to his original plan to break into Wayne Tech to use its equipment to hack Cadmus.

                  Doing it during the night was would risk a run-in with the dark knight. He wanted to put off meeting the man as long as possible. His only alternative was to break in during the day when Batman would stick out like a sore thumb and Bruce Wayne was busy with meetings. He searched every nook and cranny, memorized all the guard shifts just to get into the building undetected.

                  Beyond had no trouble hacking into Cadmus. It took no more than half an hour and even less to destroy the files on him and XIII. His relief was short lived when an arm locked around his neck and his assailant pulled him into a headlock. A gloved hand quickly covered his mouth to prevent him from shouting.  He was promptly blindfolded and carried off.  

                  From the sounds, he could recognize the firing of a grappling hook, a rush of wind and the billowing of capes they ascended. Who was it? How did they find him?

                  “What were you doing in Wayne Tech?” A familiar voice snapped.

                  It was Robin, but from the direction of his voice, he wasn’t the one that grabbed him. His assailant was silent with a firm grip at his neck, but judging by the small hand, it wasn’t likely the dark knight. He sighed, relieved that they weren’t Cadmus or Batman. Without needing to worry about his life, Beyond promptly fell asleep. They wouldn’t send him back to Cadmus without interrogating him first. Until then, he had nothing to worry about. 


	6. Batman and Sons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Face to face for the first time, Beyond finally meets the man he was created to replace and destroy, but he hadn't expected to meet another very much like him.

              Beyond woke up blindfolded and tied to a chair. His neck ached from his sleeping position, but he dare not move. From his senses, he could tell he was no longer out in the open. The air was damp with a strange smell and the place echoed with someone pacing about. He wasn’t the least bit worried, as long as it wasn't Cadmus, he didn’t have any reason to fear.

             “Batman!” Robin’s voice echoed, his pacing stopped. “I couldn’t get him to talk… When I tried, he just fell asleep!” Beyond didn’t fall asleep as he claimed. He was exhausted from the lack of sleep. Since the passing of No Man’s Land, his sleeping schedule was ruined. He slept during the day to avoid the dangers of the night. 

             “… He fell… asleep?” Batman’s voice was more than enough to catch his attention.

             “He’s been sleeping the last few hours. Batgirl tried waking him, but he just continued sleeping.” Robin explained. Beyond heard footsteps neared him. 

            “Or pretending to be asleep.” Batman said as he ripped off the blindfold.

            “What?” Robin said in disbelief. “You’ve been awake this whole time?”

            Beyond blinked rapidly adjusting his eyes to the dim lighting as he raised his head. He held back a sigh of relief as the stress on his neck lessened. There was a pressing matter standing in front of him. His DNA donor, his father, Batman. Despite the intense glare the man directed at him, he found himself smiling.

            “Hello Mr. Wayne, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.” He chirped, unable to keep himself quiet any longer. Robin physically tensed at his words, but Batman remained unaffected.

            “And you must be Beyond.” He replied in turn. Beyond was not disappointed, the man was a fine detective. He would’ve been surprised if the man didn’t know.

            Robin on the other hand showed utter confusion of the situation. “Batman you—”

            “I’ll be talking with our guest alone.” The man asserted.

            Robin look hesitant, but eventually gave in. “… I’ll come back in fifteen.”

            Once the teen wonder was gone, Batman wasted no time. Beyond knew the man thought of his as a threat. “Why did you break into Wayne Tech? What’s your purpose in Gotham?”

            “I needed to borrow a computer that could handle hacking into Cadmus. There were some files I hadn’t gotten a chance to dispose of when I was still there.” Beyond answered his grin never left his face. He felt so giddy he couldn’t help himself.

            He answered so willingly, there was a moment of silence from Batman. The man was debating whether or not Beyond was telling the truth. “And what exactly were you planning to do if Robin and Batgirl hadn’t managed to capture you?”

            “… I guess just keep running and hiding. Hoping Cadmus wouldn’t find me. Since you obviously know who I am already, you probably know why they would be looking for me.”

            “You convinced Superboy to leave Cadmus.” Batman concluded.

            Beyond tilted his head aside curiously. “Superboy… is that what XIII goes by now?” He huffed. “I wonder what genius reporter gave him that name…But I guess he’s doing fine if the media is giving him the limelight.” Had anyone else listened to his words, they would’ve thought that he was jealous of his fellow project of the fame and attention.

            Batman saw otherwise. His words weren’t out of jealousy, but rather relief. “The two of you aren’t the first to leave Cadmus.”

            “We’re just the few Cadmus hadn’t managed to retrieve.” Beyond replied. 

            “Then you’re aware of who Ace is.” The man continued.

            Beyond perked up excitedly at the mention of her name. “Anna? Cadmus hadn’t managed to find even a trace of her. How is she fairing?”

            “…” The dark knight became silent in the other’s excitement. “She died ten months ago, when you and Superboy left Cadmus.”

            Beyond lost his smile and frowned. He should’ve expected that no one leaving Cadmus would live long. The pain in his chest was back. “I see.”

            “She left a message for you before she passed.” Batman continued. Beyond glanced up to him again. “She said she wished she could’ve played with you some more and that her time with you was fun. She died with a smile when she left.”

            “… At least, she was happy.” Beyond murmured.

            “Batman!” Robin’s voice interrupted their conversation as strolled into the medic bay. “The Spook is  holding the mayor hostage at Black Gate Prison.”

            The dark knight stared at Beyond a moment longer before striding past Robin. “Untie him, but keep him here in the cave until I come back.”

            “But—” Robin tried to protest, but Batman had already left. He turned back to the tied youth after sighed as he debated whether or not to release him. It would be considerably easier to keep him in the cave if he was to remain bound, but his adoptive father had given him the order to release him.

            “Are you going to release me as he says?” Beyond asked indifferently after nothing was done.

            “We’ll see.” He replied before hauling both Beyond and the chair to the bat-computer. Beyond remained silent, watching as Robin went about the computer and called up a number. The area code directed to the Kansas region.

            “Hello, Kent residence.” A warm woman’s voice answered.

            “Hello Mrs. Kent, I’m Conner’s friend Tim, may I speak with him?” Robin shifted his voice to a lighter tone, less harsh compared to the tone he used with Beyond.

            “Of course dear, give me a moment.” The woman said before they heard her calling for this Conner person.

            It wasn’t long before the phone on the other side was passed along. “What is it Tim? I’m really not in the mood to talk.” A depressed, but familiar voice greeted.

            A smile creeping up to Beyond’s face again, he found that happening a lot today. “It seems like you’ve grown since that last we spoke XIII, you’re not showing optimism for everything.”

            “…Beyond?” XIII said in disbelief before quickly rambling. “Is that really you? Where the heck have you been? Wait, Tim called me, you’re with Tim?”

            “Conner, you know him?” Tim asked for a confirmation.

            Beyond glanced at the older boy, understanding that he doesn’t trust him. Though, he does wonder why Batman would trust him enough to let him loose in the Batcave.

            “Yeah, Beyond and I left Cadmus together.” He said cheerily, but as that cheer soon turned to gloom. “He’s probably the reason I’m out of there at all.”

            Robin sighed exasperatedly. “Conner.” His tone was firm. “It’s not your fault. We don’t think any different of you.”

           “But…” XIII protested weakly. “I broke your arm and Cassie…”

           “It’s not your fault! It’s Luthor’s fault that you did all that!” Robin argued.

            Beyond frowned, it seemed that XIII found his other parent. And knowing XIII, who distressed over breaking equipment, hurting those who he attached himself to must’ve torn him apart.

            “Idiot.” He scolded him. “You’re nothing like Galatea.”

            “Galatea?” Robin said in confusion.

            “I might very well be with what I did.” XIII muttered.

            “I could find some differences.” Beyond commented dryly. “For instance, her grey matter is situated at her chest rather than her head. I’m quite certain your time away from Cadmus has placed some grey matter in your head.”

             There was a moment of silence on both sides before XIII bellowed out in a heartily laugh. Beyond could see the surprise on Robin’s face. XIII must’ve been depressed for quite a long while.

            “Was that a joke you just cracked? I remember you telling me that once back in Cadmus. Man, was I an idiot to have completely missed that!” XIII chuckled.

             Beyond gave him no chance to slip back into depression. “XIII, I recall seeing a new name you've been using, one not given to you by Cadmus. Would you mind telling me what that is?"

            “Conner Kent?” The other said in confusion.

            “That would be your second new name.” Beyond said wryly.

            “Oh you mean Superboy…” The other murmured.

            “Is there a reason why they gave you that other name?” He asked.

            “… I guess you’re right, thanks Beyond.” It wasn’t hard to imagine the small smile planted on XIII’s face.

            “I believe your friend, _Tim_ would like to speak with you.” Beyond continued without missing a beat.

            “I’ll call you again later Conner.” Robin hung up before the other could get a word in.

            “Are you going to untie me now _Tim_?” Beyond drawled his name.

            “Don’t get too cheeky, I could still leave you tied up until Batman returns. He didn’t say when I have to untie you.” Robin retorted.

           “You could.” Beyond hadn’t complained. “Though, I believe it would be more convenient for you to have me follow you, rather than you hauling me around on this chair. After all, you are still required to keep an eye on me. You couldn’t very well do that if I was in another room all together, would it?”

           “…” Robin was speechless. Just what kind of child did Batman leave in his care? A blade whistled in the air. “He couldn’t be back already.” He muttered before turning to Beyond. “I’ll untie you, but you’ll have to stay close to me. Try anything and you’ll find yourself back on that chair.”

           “Understandable.” Beyond replied before the teen wonder released him and they strolled towards the source of the noise. They found a boy not much older than Beyond dancing through a complicated set of sword stances. At his feet was a questionable bag.  

           “Damian?” Robin murmured with a frown.

           Beyond didn’t like the looks of this. He did not recall there being another young ward in Bruce Wayne or Batman’s care when he left Cadmus. The youngest was Tim Drake, the current Robin that was watching over him. This other boy, he had no information on him, but with how well he handles that sword of his, he should be wary. Batman and Robin does not and would not aim to kill, but the boy’s choice of a bladed weapon showed he was more than willing to dispose any obstacle before him.

           “Where did you get the sword? Did Alfred let you out?” Robin asked holding an arm back to make sure Beyond stayed behind him. 

           Damian sharply stopped his blade to point at Robin threateningly. “The servant left his prints all over the keypad, it wasn’t hard to figure out the combination, but getting into the batcave itself isn’t as simple as a code, is it?”

           Robin crossed his arms. “If he really is your father, you should be proud. You shouldn’t be down here without his permission anyhow.”

 _Father?_ Beyond studied Damian’s features closely and noted a familiar scowl over his young face. It looked very much like the one Batman gave him only moments earlier. It was then he realized that this boy was like him, a son of Batman, but why hadn’t he seen him in any of the reports on Bruce Wayne?

           Damian snorted. “You shouldn’t be down here without his permission anyhow.” He mimicked Robin’s voice perfectly. “Please, your voice recognition system isn’t as smart as you think.”

           “You just did my voice!” Robin said in disbelief.

           "You just did my voice! Oh my god _**Batman**_ , he just did my voice! He **_challenged_** me!” Damian mocked him as he mimicked his voice. “He challenged me to show him what I could do, so I went out tonight.”

           Beyond slipped towards the shadows when Damian had knelt down to pull something out of the bag. He didn’t need his training from Cadmus to tell him there was something wrong with this picture. 

           “What did you do?” Robin grounded out.

           Damian gave a sardonic snort. “I fought crime tonight.” He replied, pulling out a severed head from the bag. “Crime lost.”

Beyond recognized the decapitated head as the Spook, one of the lesser rogues in Batman’s gallery.

Robin paled. “You can’t do that! We don’t kill!”

           Robin quickly jumped away from the head as it exploded and somersaulted to the lower levels of the cave. Beyond watched as Damian chased the older boy with his blade. “We kill anyone that gets in our way!”

           “Where did you get that key? What did you do to Alfred?” Robin shouted as he fired a grappling hook to swing himself up onto the tyrannosaurus.

           “You’ll never know!” Damian snarled as he raced up the dinosaur’s tail. However, when he reached the top, he hadn’t noticed Robin was swinging around to attack him from behind. Beyond watched as the boy lost his footing and slipped off the dinosaur. Quickly, before he could fall to his doom, Robin grabbed onto his arm and pulled him up to safety.

           “Will you grow up?” Robin snapped and kneeled down to Damian’s eye level. “Why? Why are you acting like such a jerk? I didn’t do anything to you!”

           “Because you don’t deserve any of this! You’re adopted!” Beyond tensed as he watched. “But when you’re gone, I’ll take my rightful place at father’s side…” He quickly stabbed Robin in the side, throwing him off balance. “As Batman’s son!” Robin rolled off the dinosaur and fell hazardously towards the ground. “I’ll inherit everything!” He snarled.

           Beyond remained quiet and hidden as Damian strolled towards the display cases and pulled out tunic from the Robin costume over the clothes he was already wearing. Beyond made a few glances back to Robin, noting the teen wonder was still breathing, but was likely in immense pain.

           “Don’t think I didn’t notice you with this cast-off.” Damian’s voice echoed in the cave. Beyond glanced back to the violent boy. Apparently, he didn’t disappear unnoticed as he wished. “I’ll dispose of you when I return from meeting father.” He warned as he strolled out of the cave.

            Beyond hadn’t waited long before rushing to the medic bay to retrieve medical supplies. While it was a risk that Damian could have lied to lure him out, he knew if he doesn’t act fast, Robin would bleed to death before any help could come. There really wasn’t anything pressing him to save the teen wonder, but he could imagine, Batman wouldn’t be in the best of moods if he returns to find his ward dead. He hurried to Robin’s side and used his first aid skills to stop the bleeding from getting any worse.

            “Can you talk?” Beyond asked as he applied pressure to the wound with a folded sheet of bandage.

Robin grunted at the contact. “Don’t—”

            “I’m more then capable in first aid, stop moving if you don’t want to bleed to death.” Beyond snapped. If not for his childish voice, he would have sounded quite commanding. “You fell about four meters in height, what did you break?” 

            “My arm.” Robin grunted again.

            “To break your fall no doubt.” Beyond muttered under his breath before carefully feeling around Robin’s arm. The other held back a scream of pain as he did so. “I can’t do anything about that. Is there anyone we can call to treat you? And don’t say call XIII, this is no time for secrecy. He has no medical skills and I sorely doubt he can learn in the span of ten months.”

             “…Nightwing.” Robin reluctantly answered. “You can call text him.” He recited the former Robin’s number.

             “Stay awake.” Beyond ordered before quickly running to the bat-computer, not even bothering to clean off his hands of Robin’s blood.

o.o.o.o.o

              Damian raced through the rooftops of Gotham, hurrying to where his father was. He had no remorse in beating Robin. That was how things worked in the League of Assassins, to ascend someone must be eliminated. There was still the matter of the boy in hiding. He hadn’t seen him before, but from the looks of it, that boy was no fighter. Scrawny, with no muscle and the way he carried himself, he seemed to have no fighting background. He was barely a threat in his eyes, but he did manage to disappear and hide quite well.

 _I’ll deal with him, when I get back._ He thought to himself before he found Batman swinging through the concrete jungle. Damian landed on a rooftop and waited patiently for his father. He _will_ have the man’s respect.

              “The prison hostages say the Spook was **_beheaded_ ** right in front of them. How did you get out?” Batman growled the moment he landed.

               Damian frowned. This hadn’t been what he imagined. “I’m not just some stupid child! I want to **_help_** you father.”

              “I already have a partner.” The man stormed towards him, but froze in horror when Damian pulled his cloak aside, revealing the Robin tunic underneath. “What have you done Damian? Where’s Robin?”

            “He quit father. There’s a new Robin now.” Damian smirked.

o.o.o.o.o

            Officer Richard Grayson, fondly known as Dick, was signing off for the day and suiting up for the night as Nightwing. When his cell vibrated, he grinned at the familiar number, but paled when he read the contents of the text.

            “Tim’s in trouble, hurry back to Gotham.” Without a second thought he used Batman’s Justice League teleporter codes to transport him back to Wayne Manor. It took no more than a few seconds for him to run across the front lawn and used the secret passage to enter the manor. He raced towards the study and entered his codes to enter the cave.

            “Bruce!” He snapped as he glided down to the lower levels, but the man was nowhere to be seen.

            “Help! Over here!” An unfamiliar child’s voice called out frantically near the tyrannosaurus model.

            Nightwing frowned, when did Bruce take another child into his care? Cautiously, he slinked towards the display, staying within the shadows as he moved. He wasn’t sure if Bruce brought in the child or if it was someone with ventriloquist skills. However, when he spotted Tim bleeding on the ground and a frighten child next to him, he hurried to their side.

            “Robin!” He shouted, the child flinched as turned to him with wide eyes.

            “W-Who are you?” He trembled as he asked.  

            “Don’t be afraid.” Nightwing said gently, doing his best not to scare him. “What happened?”

            “H-he was fighting with a boy and got stabbed and-and, he fell from the big dinosaur!” The boy said pointing to the tyrannosaurus.

            “Okay, calm down.” He said placing his hands on the boy’s shoulders, but not before he noticed the bloodied hands. “Are you hurt?”

            The boy shook his head. “I-it’s his blood.”

            “Take a deep breath.” He advised, making the boy take steady breaths. “Can you tell me did you see an old man in a suit around?”

            “Alfred is somewhere upstairs.” Robin grunted out. “Little creep did something to him.”

            “Little creep?” Nightwing glanced over to the boy.

            “Not him.” Robin groaned.

            “Take it easy little brother.” Nightwing said.

            “Somewhere upstairs…” Robin repeated tiredly. “Camera…”

            “Okay, I’ll find Alfred, just take it easy.” He said as he hurried to the computer to bring up the security cameras around the manor. He found the old butler locked in one of the rooms, slightly battered, but otherwise fine. “You stay here and watch Robin, do whatever he tells you to. I’ll be back soon.” He rushed out of the cave. 

o.o.o.o.o

            Beyond dropped his act once the other left. “Stay awake Robin.”

            “Why?” Robin croaked out.

            “Would he relax knowing?” Beyond asked dryly. “I believe it’s your welfare on the line here. Just stay still and awake until they come and help you.” He glanced back at the screens to see Nightwing rewiring the touchpad system. It didn’t take long before he had the butler out and they rushed back to the cave. 

             Nightwing came down first to take him to another part of the cave before they gone back to care for Robin. Quite understandable, considering, the other two doesn’t know that he was aware of their identities. Beyond wasn’t bothered by their need for secrecy, but he was bothered by the fact that Nightwing taken to babying him while Robin is in the butler’s care. He wanted to explore the cave some more and possibly get some new equipment to defend himself when that violent boy came back.

             He hadn’t spoken to Nightwing for the duration, allowing the man to believe he was scared senseless. By the time Batman and Damian returned, Tim was well under Alfred’s care.

             “Nightwing? What are you—?”

             “I should be asking you! Where the hell have you been?” Nightwing interrupted. “Robin was stabbed and tossed off that damn dinosaur of yours! Alfred was locked up, beaten in one of the rooms! And this kid was scared half to death with Robin bleeding to death by his side! And why the hell is that kid wearing _his_ costume.”

              “Where’s Robin?” Batman asked darkly.

              “Your butler is caring for him.” Beyond interrupted before Nightwing could yell at Batman again. “He has a broken arm and a stab wound to the abdomen. I managed to apply first aid to him immediately, so he shouldn’t have lost much blood. I’m not sure if the blade pierced any vital organs.”

               Nightwing had a confounded look on his face at the change of personality.

              “I assume you’re the one that contacted Nightwing?” Batman inquired.

              “I’m only capable of first aid and your butler was unavailable at the time. I asked Robin for a contact I can request assistance from.” Beyond reported.  

            Batman turned to Damian growling. “You did this!”

            The other boy hadn’t shown remorse his hands clenched his cloak tightly. “He was my rival! He’s not your real son, **I** am! It’s my right to replace him! That’s how it works in the league!”

            “This is the real world!” Batman snapped.

            “That was the real world!” Damian argued.

            “Ahem.” Alfred interrupted the group. “I have stabilized the Master Robin. Fortunately, none of his organs were damaged, but he’ll be needing a cast for his arm the next few days.”

            “Thank goodness.” Nightwing said in relief.

            “You can see him now if you wish.” Alfred said as he pulled off his surgical gloves and hair-cap.

            “I’ll see him when I get back.” Batman said as he turned to leave.

            “Where are you going?” Nightwing snapped. “Robin could have died!”

            “Talia has the British Prime Minister’s wife and a small army of man-bats flying about. And I have some matters to talk to her, about our **_son_**.” He spat out.

            “Son?” Nightwing said in disbelief.

            “Do me a favor and keep him from causing anymore damage while I’m gone. He’s too dangerous to be left alone.” He ordered.

            “You’re telling me this brat did that to Tim!” Nightwing snapped.

            “He also decapitated the Spook.” Beyond added absently. “If you look around the cave, you might find pieces of flesh from his head.”

            Damian glared at Beyond. “Let me help you! I can help!”

            “Help me?” Batman growled. “How can I trust you when you almost killed Robin!”

            “But thanks to me, Spook will never hurt anyone again!” He argued.

            “The Spook is dead, you murdered him!” Batman snarled. “Damian, it’s clear your mother sent you here to disrupt my work.”

            “It’s not like that! I’ll tell you where she is, if you let me fight at your side!” Beyond smirked at this attempt of bargaining, it was likely Batman knows of the location of the woman already and he was right. Batman mentioned a blindfold with traces of pollen. However, Damian surprised him when he countered Batman’s reasoning. “It’s Gibraltar! Since she’s trading with the British, they’ll be at Gibraltar, north of Africa rather than the island south of it.” Batman paused in silence, evaluating his answer. “See! I **_can_** be useful!”

            “But would that be why Talia al Ghul sent him to stay with you Mr. Wayne?” Beyond interrupted. “The woman is obviously quite familiar with your style and your mindset, what’s to say that she’s not expecting you to bring him along with you?”

            “Shut up! What do you know?” Damian snapped at him.

            Beyond stayed quiet. He already added his piece. He doesn’t need to reinforce his own advice, Batman knew well enough, his advice was sound.  “Nightwing, watch both of them.” The man said before turning his heel and left.

            “Father!” Damian shouted.

            “Stay here!” He snapped. “Don’t disappoint me any further then you already have tonight.”

            “…Yes father.” He grounded out reluctantly. Despite his selfishness, Beyond could see that Damian respected their father very much. Had he not, his guess was that Damian would have followed. 

            “… He’s not going to reach the Mediterranean before her.” Nightwing murmured. “Even if he has the fastest jet he can’t—” The roar of the rockets silenced him.

            “Not unless he has a rocket.” Beyond said dryly.

            “Just who the hell are you?” Damian took the question right out of Nightwing’s mouth as he stormed up to the shorter boy. “Father would’ve taken me with him if you hadn’t spoken!”

            “And he would have fallen for whatever trap your mother has planned for him. While, I don’t know what your mother is planning, I know she’s the only one that Batman hasn’t managed to capture at any point. You don’t know either of them well enough if you cannot see this.”

            “And you know them any better?” Damian snapped.

            “If you know Batman, you would know he would never kill. He’s placing himself in a handicap because of this. Even so, he still manages to excel without the assassin’s way.” Beyond found himself arguing for Batman’s views, even though he didn’t believe it himself.

            “Who are you to be lecturing me?” He attempted to punch Beyond with his spiked gauntlets, but Nightwing caught him before he could.

            “You better calm down before I do something to your bratty little ass!” Nightwing warned as he pulled his arms back.

            Beyond remained silent; it was pointless to talk any further. The brat wouldn’t listen to him anyhow. He was struggling against Nightwing’s hold.

“Let go of me!” He snapped before growling at Beyond. “You think you’re better then me? You—” Damian’s eyes widened before directing a hateful glare at him. “That look! Why the hell do you have that look on your face?”

            Beyond frowned, what look was he talking about? His silence angered Damian further as the older boy struggled to break free from Nightwing.

            “I’ll fucking kill you!” He roared.

            “Alfred, get him out of here!” Nightwing ordered the butler before he pinned Damian to the floor. “I told you I will do something you won’t like if you continue!”

            “I’m going to kill him!” He screamed.

            The man placed a hand on his shoulder before steering him back towards the medic bay. “Dreadfully sorry you were caught up in this family mess.” The elderly butler apologized.

            “You have no reason to apologize to me, Alfred, is it?” Beyond replied.

            “I see you’ve picked up my name in this chaos. May I ask for your name?” Alfred asked.

            Beyond kept his eyes straight ahead. “… I don’t have one.”

            “Surely you have one that others refer to you as.” The gentle man ushered.

            “It’s not something I preferred to be known as right now.” Beyond murmured quietly.

            “Very well then. We shall return to the matter of your name when Batman returns.” He said as they entered the bay. Robin was removed from his costume and laid atop an operating table. “From what you called Batman earlier, I presume you’re quite aware of his identity?”

            “If you mean by Bruce Wayne, yes.”

            “Then you wouldn’t mind assisting me with Master Tim back up to the manor would you? His own bed would aid his recovery considerably better than the surgical table.”

            It was refreshing that the old butler treated him as an adult rather than a child. The only thing he missed sorely from Cadmus was the equality he had with those older than him. Without any complaints, he assisted Alfred with the aid of a wheelchair to take Tim to the upper levels of the manor. While Nightwing stayed behind to deal with the other boy.

o.o.o.o.o

            “I will kill him!” Damian snarled as Nightwing manhandled him.

            That other boy resembled his father. The stare, the frown, to think there was another person that shared his father’s blood! He won’t be able to earn his father’s respect at this rate. He was an obstacle, and obstacles are to be eliminated. He has already dealt with Robin who he thought was his greatest threat, but now he found another. Someone who shared his father’s blood. His brother.

 


	7. Familial Relations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally gaining a real name, Beyond struggles to fit in with the family. Only to find himself running yet again.

                  “Let me go!” Damian twisted furiously, but to no avail he could not free himself.

                  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. If you fall from there, you’ll die.” Dick warned. His costume was a little worse for wear after wrestling the demon brat onto the stalactite.

                  “You can’t do this to me! Let me go!” He growled.

“I told you I would do something to you won’t like if you didn’t listen. Think of it as a _light_ punishment, compared to what I would do to your spoiled little ass for doing that to Tim!” He crossed his arms with a glower.

                  “You can’t do this to me!” Damian roared.

                  “Never one to repent.” Dick sighed.  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He activated the batarang that was attached to the boy. A high pitch frequency converged the bats to where Damian was tied. The boy resisted a scream as the flying rodents clawed at his face. His eyes clenched close to avoid having his eyes gouged out. “If you’re good, I’ll let you down early.”

                  “Fuck you!” Damian snarled.

                  “Maybe you’ll change your mind later.” Dick pocketed the remote and headed for the upper levels. 

                  He didn’t want to leave the brat alone in the cave, but he needed to check on Tim and their little guest. The rays of dawn peeked through the windows and into the halls. It had taken him longer than he expected to deal with the homicidal brat.

                  “Master Dick.” Alfred greeted him as he passed with a platter of food at hand. “Will you be dining at the hall or would you prefer to take your meal at Master Tim’s room?”

                  “I’ll take it at Tim’s room.” Dick replied before pausing in suspicion. “Where’s the other kid?”

                  “He’s with Master Tim.” Alfred informed him as they walked down the halls.

                  “… You left him with Tim?” Dick said in disbelief.   

                  “If the boy wanted to harm him, he wouldn’t have bothered to save him. Now if you don’t mind, please open that door for me.” The butler requested before the other opened the door.

                  Despite the dimness of the room, the old butler moved with practiced ease as he placed down the platter on a nearby table and moved to draw the curtains aside to let in some morning light. Tim was resting peacefully in his bed, his injuries prominent even in this low light. Their mystery guest on the other hand was nowhere to be seen.

                  “Alfred, I think you’ve been duped. The kid’s gone.” Dick commented.

                  Just as Alfred was about to retort, the bathroom door opened and out came their missing guest.

                  “Don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions Nightwing.” Beyond commented as he closed the door behind him quietly. He cleaned himself up with a change of clothes. A very familiar set of clothing Dick might add.

                  “The boy was merely in the lavatory freshening up.” Alfred defended as he went to look the child over. “I trust the clothing fits fine?”

                  “You gave him clothes?” Dick finally realized why it looked so familiar, they were his old clothes, albeit a little loose and large on the small boy.

                  “It’s fine.” The boy said little as the butler fixed the collar of his shirt. 

                  “… Why didn’t you run?” Dick questioned.

                  Blue eyes glanced at him with a snort. “A homicidal brat declared that he wants me dead and has shown he is quite capable of hunting and killing targets he desires. The only person he fears, respects and listens to lives here. What would your decision be if you were in my position?”

                  “He also knows about Bruce.” Tim’s strained voice directed everyone’s attention on him.

                  “Take it easy.” Dick was quick to his side to help him up. Tim had one arm in a sling.

                  “He broke into Wayne Tech knowing full well who we are.” Tim continued. “He’s from Cadmus.”

                  “Formerly Cadmus.” Beyond corrected him as he glanced at the platter of food and later at Alfred.

                  The elderly man smiled. “I intended a share for you young man, feel free to eat.”

                  “Why are you here?” Dick asked as he watched the boy set a napkin on his lap.

                   “Why don’t you ask the person that brought me here?” He replied as he grabbed a spoon. “I only broke into Wayne Tech to borrow a computer.”

                  “Don’t play coy with me that can’t be all you wanted to do.” 

                  The boy dipped the spoon into the soup and stirred. “What makes you think I would tell the truth Mr. Grayson? Or even better, why would you trust my words?”

                  Dick paused, that was a point. He watched as the other checked the soup over and over again as if he suspected Alfred’s gracious cooking to be poisoned. As if the dear butler would ever do something so horrid to their food. Besides if the man had, the silver would’ve tarnish. Little do people know, actual silver-made silverware was a good poison detector.

                  “Will Master Damian have breakfast this morning?” Alfred interrupted.

                  “If the hell spawn learns better manners.” Dick grunted

                  “I assume he’ll be dining at lunch then.” Alfred said as he left for another platter of food. 

                  “Hell spawn?” Tim chuckled painfully. “Bat-spawn more like it. Nothing in hell compares to kid spawned from Batman.”

o.o.o.o.o

                  Beyond listened intently to their conversation. It was months since he had a hot meal and a decent source of information. The thought of integrating himself into Batman’s life was getting more and more appealing with each bite he took, but he knew better.

                  He was not XIII and Batman was not Superman. A happy family reunion was not something either of them could simply accept. The thought itself was awkward enough. And with Damian, there was little chance that he would be accepted in a kind light in sharing Batman’s genetics. If he planned to stay, he would have to work and earn his keep. He was just trading one master for another.

                  He would need to get through to the butler first. The man had raised Batman and his wards. No doubt he has some importance to them, why else would he be privy to all their secrets? Nightwing would be troublesome, it didn’t seem like the man was willing to trust easily. As for Robin, he was a close friend to XIII, he might be able to convince him if XIII assisted.

                  By the time he was done with the soup the butler was back and he found a perfect opportunity to work his charms on the man.

                  “Would you like some help Alfred?” Beyond asked as he gathered up the empty plates.

                  The man raised a brow, but didn’t protest. Beyond followed him with the dirty plates and they headed straight for the kitchen. Alfred instructed him on the proper procedures to cleaning and caring for the silverware and chinaware that was in use. He listened closely, following every word the man said like a good child. At least that was the image he was trying portray, but Alfred was no fool.

                  “Tell me young man, what are you trying to gain by helping me?”

                  “What do you mean?” Beyond kept a false smile on his face.

                  “I can see you’re an intelligent young man. I may be old, but I’m not dimwitted in any sense.” Alfred looked at him kindly. “You have no need to lie to me.”

                  Beyond had half a mind that the man was bluffing, but his eyes told him otherwise. “…How did you know?”

                  Alfred gave a light-hearted laugh. “It may have been a long while since I cared for children, but I can recognize the difference between sincerity and deceit.”

                  This was an interesting development. He assumed the butler only served as their medic and their caretaker, but he was something more. When he was in Cadmus he found little on the man since he didn’t originate in America and the British was very protective of their citizens’ privacy.

                  “But how can you tell? I made sure not to give away anything.” He wanted to know.

                  “Now that, young master, is a secret I intend to keep.” The kind butler said in bemusement. “Though, you were trained in reconnaissance when you were in Cadmus haven’t you?”

                  That hadn’t been the answer Beyond was expecting. He was supposed to be the one prying information from the man, not the other way around.

                  “…” Beyond remained silent as he finished drying the plate. “They should be done eating, I’ll get the other plates.” He hurried out of the kitchen and down the hall.

                  He let his guard down that should’ve never happened. The butler shouldn’t have been able to get so close without him noticing. Beyond didn’t go back to Tim’s room as he said. Instead he was sneaking about the manor cautiously venturing through unknown territory careful not to leave traces for others to follow. He couldn’t leave the manor. It would be stupid of him with the death threat Damian placed on him.

                   Just why was he so furious at seeing his face? What look was he referring to when he declared that threat? He hadn’t noticed anything peculiar in the bathroom when he was freshening himself up. He looked nothing like Batman, Damian resembled the dark knight more so than he does. Maybe it’s the scowl he had when he was facing him? The only thing he sees as a resemblance was his eyes, but even that was rather vague. After all, the man’s many Robins all have blue eyes. It’s not that special. The only consolation he has out of all of this is the fact Damian was attention starved. He wouldn’t do anything his father would disapprove… Hopefully.

                  He was tired. With less than three hours of sleep and a threat of his life, his adrenaline rush was coming down and the food he ingested was lulling him to sleep. Beyond glanced about for stalkers before finally entering an unused room and found his way under a couch. Within moments he was curled up into a ball and fast asleep, but he didn’t rest easy. Even in exhaustion he was paranoid. He fell into a restless sleep worried that his homicidal brother would come and slaughter him in his dreams.

o.o.o.o.o

                  When the boy hadn’t returned, Alfred went in search for him. The old butler had expected him to lie yet again. It was likely the boy felt threatened and went in search for a safe haven. Being a former spy himself, he knew that such habits were hard to rid, especially in a hostile environment. Of course, having worked in Wayne Manor for several decades, he was more than familiar with the layout. Finding the boy was not much of a challenge. A quick glimpse over the doorknobs was more than enough to tell him if the door had been open or not.

                   Each knob was turned specifically a third of the way, had anyone entered and left the room, the knob would have snapped back to its original place. He found the door within minutes and entered silently, nothing was out of place. Everything was untouched as it was the last time he was in the room. He would applaud the boy’s teachers, but he knew better. He knelt down to the floor and lifted the coverings of the antique couch to find the boy curled up in a fetal position, sleeping.

                    Alfred shook his head as he carefully pulled the boy out, doing his best not to rouse him. “Master Bruce certainly has a handful to deal with.” He murmured quietly before placing the small child atop of the couch and pulling a throw blanket over his small form.

o.o.o.o.o

                  It was late morning when Bruce returned to the manor. Beyond was correct that Talia planned for him to bring Damian along. She wanted to use their son against him in their private war. Their meeting ended with her submarine bombed by the British air force. He wasn’t worried in the least about Talia’s welfare. The woman was resourceful. It would take more than that to kill her. He was glad that Damian had not accompanied him. Who knows what might have happened to him.

                  Nevertheless, once he was certain the Prime Minster’s wife was safe, he hurried back to the manor via the Justice League teleporter. Of course, him needing to use the teleporter in such a manner drew some attention.  It was rare for him to use it when he usually took it as a chance to splurge and build Bruce Wayne’s playboy façade. No one dared to approach him when he went through.

Not that he would bothered to answer if they had, he had a homicidal son that was trained by the League of Assassins and a Cadmus project that was a possible liability, a bedridden Robin and a furious Nightwing. He could feel a migraine coming along. Facing the Gotham underworld seemed like a more pleasant alternative.

                  When he stepped into the cave, he knew something was wrong. The bats were unsettled. He hadn’t known reason until he spotted Damian tied to a stalactite with a bat frequency batarang attached to him. That headache was ebbing through, he should’ve known. Dick was protective of Tim ever since he agreed to allow the young man to take up the mantle as Robin. His protectiveness only grew when Bruce had adopted him. He reached to the back of his utility belt and pulled out a remote to cancel the frequency.

                  When the bats retreated, Damian cautiously peeked an eye open. “Father!” He said delightfully. “That stupid bird brain put me up here! Let me down father!”

                  The man frowned. “If you mind your manners and call people by their given names, I’ll think about it.”                

                  Damian scowled, but he didn’t protest. “Fine, I’ll call them by their names. Let me down!” With utmost reluctance Bruce had his son out of his bindings and back on the ground. The boy rotated his arms carefully as he stretched out his cramped muscles. “So did you find mother?”

                  “… You’ll be staying with us for a while longer.” Bruce noted. Damian lit up at the mention of his extended stay. “Where are Alfred and the others?”

                  “Master Bruce, I see you’ve returned.” Alfred greeted as he descended to the cave with clean clothes at hand. “I was about to release Master Damian for brunch.”

                  “How is Tim?” He asked.

                  “Master Tim is recovering in his bed at the moment, but he should be well enough to move about in a few days. Though, I would suggest keeping him from active duty until his arm mends. Why don’t you get cleaned up first while I take Master Damian up to the dining room?”

                  “Don’t tell me what to—” Damian quickly silenced when his father turned a glare at him. “Whatever you say Alfred.” He gave a dejected murmur and followed the butler to the upper levels while Batman changed out of his costume and headed towards the showers.

                  He was tempted to stay in the hot sprays to avoid dealing with all that’s happened, but he knew better than to leave them alone for even a moment. Once he was cleaned and dressed, he made it a priority to check on Tim first. The teen wonder was still asleep when he entered the room, so helpless and weak. He grimaced at the injuries that littered his body. Filled with regret, he gingerly placed a hand atop of Tim’s messy mop of hair, brushing away his sweaty locks.

                  “Bruce?” Tim whispered hoarsely before his eyes cracked open.

                  “How are you feeling?” He asked.

                  Tim’s lips twitched up in a grin. “I could be better.” He murmured.

                  “Rest some more, I’ll talk to you later.” He said gently ruffling his hair.

                  “Keep an eye on the kid.” Tim murmured. “Damian… doesn’t like him…” He said drowsily before he fell asleep.

                  Bruce pulled the covers over Tim’s shoulders and watched his breathing even out before leaving. He wanted to talk to Beyond next, but he hadn’t a clue where the child was. Fortunately, he walked into him and Alfred going down to the dining hall.

                  “Ah, Master Bruce, I’ve seen you have freshened up.” Alfred commented before turning to Beyond. “Would you mind if we speak for a moment before we head off to brunch?”

                  “You have no need to explain to me. I know where the dining room is, I can get there myself.” Beyond offered.

                  “No, you come too, I have something to speak with you as well.” Bruce interrupted. The boy shifted his weight, he could tell that he was uncomfortable, but he made no protest as he followed them to the study.

                  “You have something you wanted to speak with me?” Beyond asked carefully as he took a seat in one of the plush chairs, absently taking note of the family portrait of young Bruce Wayne and his parents.

                  “I would like to resume our conversation before… my abrupt departure.” Bruce said diplomatically, ignoring the fact the person in front of him was a child. There was no need to butter up his words, the boy was mature and would understand.

                  “Haven’t we already covered everything?” Beyond asked.

                  “We covered to why you broke into Wayne Tech, but we haven’t covered to why you _needed_ to break into Wayne Tech.” Bruce countered.

                  “I told you I needed to dispose of some files from Cadmus. Wayne Tech is one of the few places that have the technology that’s capable of handling a break in into Cadmus.”

                  “Wayne Tech isn’t the only place that has it. You could have easily gone to Lex Corp, STAR Labs any other places.”

                  “Mr. Wayne you’re not a stupid man.” Beyond grounded out. “You know very well the security for those places are nearly impossible for a child without equipment to break into. Furthermore, Cadmus monitors those areas more so since my escape. Going there would have meant surrendering myself back to them.”

                  “And yet you’re willing to attempt Wayne Tech?” Bruce raised a brow.

                  Beyond looked away from his eyes. “Because I know you won’t send me back to Cadmus, knowing what I can do for them. Knowing what I can do against your Justice League.”

                  Bruce remained unmoved. “You haven’t told me what exactly you were trying to dispose from Cadmus.”

                  “…” Beyond shifted uncomfortably, never before was he the one interrogated. “…I was getting rid of XIII and my files… Didn’t see a point in letting them create more copies and have them dispose of us.”

                  “I can see that you have no wish to return to Cadmus.” Bruce started. “And it would be too dangerous for you to continue to run from them on your own. From how we found you, you’ve been struggling to stay alive more so than running away from Cadmus…” He studied the boy a moment longer before he continued. “I have a proposal.”

                  Beyond glanced up with curiosity in his eyes. “… What kind of proposal?”

                  “From what I gathered, you have skills that are close to irreplaceable. Cadmus would try to retrieve you at any costs, even if it’s to simply keep you for lending those skills to others. My guess is that you’re the one the managed to hacked into my computer last year, to leave me that warning.”

                   “…”

                   “I'm willing to take you into my care and provide sanctuary for you from Cadmus given you have helped saved Robin’s life last night and judged correctly of Talia’s motives.” Bruce stated.

                   “There is… a _however_ lingering in your words.” Beyond continued.

                   “We’ll leave that for a later time.” Bruce brushed off the matter. The truth was that he saw Beyond’s skill as useful for the Justice League, but for the moment he doesn’t want to entrust the child to league duties yet. “There is the matter of taking you into my care. I trust, you don’t have any legal documents, just as your fellow run away?”

                   “That’s correct.” Beyond answered.

                   “May I be so bold sir?” Alfred interrupted.

                   “What is it Alfred?” He glanced to the old man.

                   “If the young master here is from Cadmus, it’s likely for them to retrieve the boy in other legal forms if they were to find that he is in your care. Even if you were to adopt him, there are still means of removing him from your care.” The old butler informed.

                  “What are you suggesting?” Bruce asked.

                  “I do believe Bruce Wayne is due for some outrageous criticism in the media? Claiming the young master as an illegitimate child should be more than enough to outrage the public and even if Cadmus finds the boy in your care, they cannot take him from you if you were his legitimate parent by blood.” He suggested. “As for a blood test, we can simply use Master Damian’s blood comparison to yours as proof.”

                   Beyond found himself gapping at the man’s suggestion. “Illegitimate child?” While in truth he was an illegitimate child, he hadn’t expected the butler to suggest to the man to take him in publicly as one. The best he had hoped for was to keep him to the shadows, not letting the media knowing all together.

                   “Furthermore, the young master has no name of his own or back history for anyone other than Cadmus to trace. And with the countless number of love interests for Bruce Wayne, it would be nearly impossible for the media to even guess who the boy’s mother might be.”

                    The butler was siding with him, helping him. He was going out of his way to help him enter Bruce Wayne’s life. He hadn’t expected that to happen. 

                    “… It’s not necessary to let the public know I’m here.” Beyond interrupted. As nice as it would be to be considered as the man’s son, the risk is simply too high. “Sanctuary from Cadmus is more then enough. I’ll provide you services that I have for Cadmus in exchange for my stay here.”

                    “… No.” Bruce’s response made him do a double take. “I believe Alfred’s suggestion is logical. Often, there will be parties hosted at Wayne Manor. If you are to live here, you should be able to freely move about in the manor without questions from outsiders. And it would serve as security against Cadmus taking you back in any case.”

                    “You can’t be serious—” Beyond jumped out of his seat wanting to protest, but Alfred placed firm hands over his shoulders.

                    "Very well then, the young master shall become a Wayne.” He stated, not allowing any protest from the boy.

                    “Will you be able to deal with the paperwork Alfred? I don’t believe we’ll be able to use any US documents for him.” Bruce was swift to shift the conversation to how to legitimize Beyond.

                    “I believe I have some connections back in the Britain that can provide us with such documents. Of course, that would mean the young master would be required to speak with an accent at least for sometime. I trust it would not be a problem, would it young master?” He grinned wryly at Beyond.

                    The man was formerly a spy in another country, Beyond realized. It was no wonder he knew so much of what he did. There was no other choice he had to abide by their wishes. “Certainly not.” Beyond spoke with an accent, as part of his training, Cadmus has taught him various languages and how to imitate area accents. 

                    “How long would it take for you to obtain these documents?” Bruce asked before he got up from his seat as well. 

                    “No more than a fortnight sir.” Alfred quipped. “There is however, one last crucial matter to this whole charades.”

                    "And that would be?” The man asked.

                    “Naming the young master. We simply cannot leave him nameless now, can we? Since you’ll be posing as his father from now on, it would only be appropriate for you to name him.”

Beyond was speechless, not only the man got him into Bruce Wayne’s life, he was going to get him a name as well.

                   “Do you have any objection to this?” Bruce asked him, giving him a chance to refute the matter, but Beyond found himself not wanting to speak.

Alfred smiled brightly. “It seems like the young master does not oppose to this arrangement. What will you be naming him sir?”

                  “Hmm…” The man pondered for a moment. “What do you think of Terrence Wayne? Terry for short.”

                  “That is an excellent name sir. What do you think young master?” Alfred asked.

                  The newly named Terry was silent, staring at the man that had just named him, his father. “… Do I call you father then?” He asked hesitantly his voice lost traces of the accent he was using previously.

                  “I believe that is what normal families would do isn’t it?” His father said gently at his hesitation.

                  “I…” Terry trailed off before trying again. “... None of the projects in Cadmus had parents… I’m not sure…”

                  Bruce’s eyes softened at the confusion on the young boy’s face before he knelt down and drew him into a hug. Normally, he wouldn’t be initiating any kind of affection, to anyone, but this boy looked truly lost and confused. Considering he might’ve been in Cadmus his whole life, it was likely the boy never tasted any form of affection. Terry stiffened in his hold, but he eventually he relaxed and melt into the hug. Once he was certain Terry wasn’t going to flee, he pulled away and ruffled his head.

                  “Now that the matter is over, I trust that both of you are quite famished. Come, let’s get you to the dining room for lunch, the time for brunch has passed while we were discussing on the matter.” Alfred said with cheer as he ushered them out of the study and towards the dining room.

                  As they ventured down the hall, they could hear an argument roaring from within the dining room. “…Alfred, you didn’t leave Damian alone did you?” Bruce asked.

                  “No sir, Master Dick came to watch him before I went to retrieve Master Terry.” The old butler informed him.

                  “Sit down you homicidal brat!” Dick’s voice came from the room as they turned around the corner.

                  Not a moment later a butter knife flew out of the room, Bruce make a quick move to push both Terry and Alfred out of the way before the silverware imbedded itself into the wall. “Damian!” He roared. The conflict halted.

                  “Bruce, you’re back early.” Dick said lowly.

                  “What’s going on here?” He demanded.

                  “The brat was being all high and mighty, he refuses to eat.” Dick replied.

                  “How could I eat when he lacks table manners.” Damian retorted.

                  “Me?” Dick said in disbelief. “I’ll show you who needs manners!”

                  “Dick!” Bruce snapped before pinching the bridge of his nose.

                  “Master Dick, would you mind taking lunch up to Master Tim while I handle the matters down here?” Alfred interrupted for Bruce’s sake.

                  “Fine.” Dick growled but gave a pointed warning. “But I want to talk to you later.” He stormed out of the room and towards the kitchen to retrieve Tim’s lunch.

                  “Damian sit down.” Bruce ordered before the boy reluctantly sat down, glaring at Terry as he did so. “You too Terry, take a seat.” Terry opted to take a seat right next to their father, much to Damian’s displeasure.

                  “What is he doing still here?” Damian asked.

                  “Terry will be staying with us for an extended amount of time. Think of him as your brother for the time period if you will.” Bruce continued. “As you should be considering Dick and Tim.”

                   Damian frowned. It was strange, he was quite certain that this **_Terry_** before him shared Batman’s blood, his father’s blood. However, the man made it sound like he doesn’t believe that Terry was his son. With what he had done yesterday, he would think that his father would use Terry as a comparison to what he would deem as an ideal son. __

_Unless…_ He glanced over to Bruce. _He doesn’t know that Terry shares his blood._ The thought was almost enough to make him smile, but he hadn’t. Instead, he decided to keep quiet and plot the demise of his **_brother_**.

                   Lunch went by quietly, where neither the father nor the sons spoke. The sight made the old butler grin ironically. The two youngsters acted so much like him it was hard to say they weren’t related. With Damian scowling and Terry cheerfully calm, it looked almost as if Batman and Bruce Wayne had separated and de-aged.

                 Once lunch was over, Bruce took his two sons up to Tim’s room and informed the remaining two in the manor of Terry’s new status.

                 “Bruce.” Tim greeted from his bed when the man entered with the other two. 

                 “Did you bring the brat to apologize? I don’t think he would mean it, even you can get him to.” Dick glared at Damian and the boy returned the glare just the same.

                 “I have a few announcements to make.” Bruce continued, ignoring the tension between his real sons and his adopted sons.

                 “…Something tells me we’re not going to like this.” Tim mutters under his breath.

                 “Damian will be staying with us for an extended period of time.” Both Tim and Dick groaned, but a glare from Bruce quickly silenced them. “As will Terry.”

                 “Terry?” The two others asked before glancing towards said boy.

                 “This will be Terrence Wayne from now on.” Bruce informed them.

                 "Wait… WHAT?” Dick shouted. “Don’t tell me this kid is your son too! Just how many kids do you have?”

                 “No, that can’t be, he’s a Cadmus project isn’t he?” Tim asked before realization dawned on him. “You’re doing this to protect him from them.”

                 “It will be two weeks before his paperwork is finalized, but I suggest all of you to get used to it before then.” Bruce said.

                 “… But that’s not all is it?” Tim frowned. Terry studied the older teen, somewhat impressed that the teen wonder was able to understand Batman so well.

                 “I’m pulling you out of active duties for those two weeks until you heal. There is no sense in injuring yourself any further with that arm of yours.” The man continued. “During that time, Damian will be filling in for you.”

                 “He’ll be what?” Dick snapped before closing in the space between him and Bruce. “You can’t be serious! It’s because of that brat that Tim’s even injured! You’re going to be rewarding him and allowing him to take the place of Robin?”

                 “No.” Bruce said calmly. “This is not a reward, but a punishment and he will not be going on patrol with me as Robin.”

                 “What?” Damian protested.

                 “It’s pointless to keep him from wearing it though.” Terry interrupted the conversation. “He’ll just take it and don it when you’re not looking anyway.” Damian glared at him. “Besides, it would look quite strange for Batman to suddenly have another ward in his care. What public persona are you going to give him if you’re making wear a different costume? And it would take sometime to design another costume for him.”

                “It’s all right,” Tim spoke up before Dick could complain again. “I’m useless to anyone at the moment. At least he’ll be useful rather than destructive.”

                “Tim?” Dick said in disbelief. “You’re just going to let him? You worked for the mantle of Robin!” 

                “Would you rather he stay behind and possibly injure Tim some more while Batman is out patrolling?” Terry reasoned before successfully silencing the protective man.

                “This will only be until you recover Tim. Once you heal, you can resume active duty anytime you wish.” Bruce promised.

                “I suppose, I could still do research and diagnostics in the cave while you patrol.” Tim reasoned.

                “Then it’s agreed?” Bruce asked again.

                Dick threw up his arms in disbelief. “I give up; do whatever the hell you want.” He walked towards the door.

                “Where are you going?” Tim asked.

                “To bed!” He said before slamming the door shut.

                “He has been awake for the whole night.” Terry reasoned wryly. “Will you be resting as well Mr. Wayne?”

                “I believe the correct term would be father or dad, Master Terry.” Alfred corrected as he entered the room. “After all, you will be posing as Master Bruce’s son for a long while.”

                 “… Dad, will you be resting then? After all you’ve been awake possibly longer than Dick has.” Terry resumed his questioning awkwardly.

                 “I believe everyone should be getting more then a few hours of shut eye today.” Alfred quipped as he walked into the room. “I’ve already prepared a room for Master Terry.”

                  “… Will I be allowed down at the Batcave later tonight when you’re out on patrol?” Terry asked.

                  “If Tim and Alfred agree to allow you down.” Bruce answered before dragging Damian out of the room with him. “But until then, I think Alfred is right about grabbing some shut eye. You are no different Damian.”

                  “Shall we Master Terry?” Alfred asked him.

                  “Wait.” Tim called out before Terry turned back to face him. “You can come down to the cave with me later.” Terry raised a brow at the offer. “I still have some questions for you.”

                  “Of course.” Terry said before he left with Alfred.

                  “You don’t seem to be excited that Master Tim allowed you to venture down to the cave.” Alfred conversed casually as he led him to his room.

                  “I got only one approval. I’m not allowed down there unless I have yours Alfred.” Terry quipped.

                  “I don’t believe there is any reason for me to keep you from going down below.” The old butler grinned.

                  “Why are you helping me?” Terry couldn’t help but ask. No one ever does something without aiming for something in return. It seems awfully strange for the man to do so.

                  “You remind me of Master Bruce when he was about your age.” He reasoned. That answer alone was more than enough to silence him. As for satisfaction, he wasn’t too sure, but he won’t pry into the matter now. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me. I’ll call you for supper if you haven’t awakened by then.”

                  “…Thank you Alfred.” He said before the butler left.

                  Terry studied his new room. The bed was plush and soft compared to the hard bunkers he dealt with in Cadmus. The design was superficial, not matching his father’s true personality anyhow. Regardless, the room served its purpose. He was debating whether or not to rest, as he already have five hours of rest before Batman returned from his exchange with Talia.

                  The whistle of a blade ended any thought of sleep. Quickly he ducked and rolled out of the way before the blade managed to decapitate him.

                  “Damian.” He greeted his brother as he stood up from his spot.

                  “So father doesn’t know?” The older boy smirked.

                  “I’m not planning to tell him anytime soon.” Terry said as he folded his hands behind him. The motion seemed to insult Damian, but he was actually reaching for the RSS flashlight. He tucked it underneath the baggy clothing earlier after the shower, along with what little equipment he gathered from the aftermath of Batman’s fight with Clayface.

                  “Good, you’ll never be able to!” Damian said he charged at him.

                  Terry pulled out the lead flashlight to block the blade before he rolled out of the way again. Capoeira made him flexible to bend and twist his body to avoid Damian’s attack before he hurried out of the room. He wouldn’t be able to take the older boy head on in a fair fight and he didn’t plan on fighting him. He had mapped out a small portion of the manor for his use from his earlier wandering.

                  “Dad won’t be pleased to see you killing again.” Terry taunted him as he fell to the ground to avoid projectiles from Damian and slid to the next corner. He scrambled to his feet a moment later before hurrying down another hall.

                  “What’s another death to a long list of many others?” Damian spat out as he chased the other around the corner. He ducked as a batarang flew at his face. The weapon circled around before Terry caught it and continued his way down the hall.

                  “You’re not making this very subtle at all.” Terry commented as he jumped on the banister and slid down to the lower level.

                  “What do you know deadweight?” Damian snarled before following suit down the banister. 

                  Terry made a quick dash towards the kitchen, running through the kitchen. “Master Terry!” Alfred shouted before he ran out the kitchen through the other door. “Master Damian!”

                  Terry grinned as he ran back towards the stairs.

                  “Running only keeps you alive for just a moment longer!” Damian growled.

 _A moment longer is all I need._ Terry thought gleefully before he turned round another corner. A noise cracked behind him before a cord wrapped around his leg and dragged him off his feet. He held his arms in front of him as he braced for his fall. Damian gave the cord a harsh tug, pulling Terry towards him.

                  “Time to die, **_brother_**.” Damian spat before plunging his sword down.

                  Before he managed to touch him, a batarang flew and knocked the blade out of his hands. Terry raised his arms to cover his head as the blade fell. Another batarang came to knock the blade away from him. “DAMIAN!” Bruce’s voice roared from the other end of the hall.

                   Terry smirked with his arms still covering his face. “The difference between you and me.” He whispered so their father couldn’t hear. “I know when and where to pick my fights, **_brother_**.”

                    Damian glared down at him. “We’ll see about that.” He kicked him in the side before moving to pick up his sword.

                   “Master Terry! Are you all right?” Alfred rushed over to him breathlessly.

                   “I’m fine.” He answered, noticing a glare directed to Damian by their father. He paid no heed to his brother’s glare. Their little war has begun… and to tell the truth, it was interesting.

 


	8. Chase Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beyond, now Terry, is enjoying bonding time with his new family... sort of...

                  “I heard what happened to you earlier.” Tim commented as he lowered himself front of the bat-computer. Dick left hours earlier, returning to his duties as Nightwing for Bludhaven.

                  “More the reason why he should be taken out for patrol duty.” Terry reasoned as he plopped down in the main seat. Since Tim’s arm was out of commission, he would help him with the keyboard. “At least you can rest easy without having the threat of him lingering over you.”

                  “I’m surprise that you haven’t even gotten a scratch on you.” Tim said as he typed in the pass code with one hand.

                  “Unlike you, I wasn’t fighting him or even trying to talk to him.” Terry retorted. “Would you mind if I catch up on the news first?” 

                  “News? Why?” He asked.

                  “I’m more comfortable with knowing about the events occurring around me.” Terry said as he pulled multiple news reports from the past few months.

                  “Let me guess, it was something they made you do while you were in Cadmus.” Tim watched Terry while the other read. The boy showed no facial change as his eyes sped through the lines. “Conner spoke about you a lot when he first joined the titans. Mentioned about how you’re always surrounded by computers showing news and piles of documents from who knows what assignments.”

                  “And?” Terry responded not tearing his eyes from the screen.

                  It was harder than he originally thought trying to get Terry to speak with him. It reminded him of talking to Batman. “You’re not curious to why he was depressed? From what you said earlier, you’ve never seen him depressed.”

                  “Considering he used to run crying to me for breaking a door, I can’t say I’m surprised.” He commented.

                  “… Wait, he went crying to you?” Tim found himself grinning at this tidbit.

                  “Is there a problem with that?” Terry asked as switched to the next article.

                  “No.” Tim said in amusement. “But you’re not curious at all?”

                  “If you want to tell me so badly, just tell me.” He said dryly, not bothering to look at him.

                  “He was brainwashed.” He said carefully.

                  “XIII was trained to resist against—”

                  “It was a set of verbal commands implanted into his mind early during his production.” Tim interrupted before the younger boy paused. 

                  “Who planted it?” Terry asked calmly.

                  “Lex Luthor.” Tim answered.

                  “I see…” Terry murmured and resumed reading. “No doubt, the man used XIII against your Teen Titans and the Justice League? I recall him saying he broke your arm, not the one Damian just broke, is it?”

                  “It’s not.” Tim said, finding it almost irritating that Terry could change the topic so casually and with such ease. He was attempting to pry for information about Cadmus again when the Justice League called.

                  “Batman, we have a situation.” Green Lantern’s came through.

                  “What is it?” Terry responded before Tim could tell him Batman wasn’t there. The man turned off his com-link in order to deal with Damian.

                  “Are you okay? You sound… Never mind.” Tim raised a brow, Terry sounded nothing like Batman. “We attempted to have Dr. Fate use Flash as a connection to find Grodd.”

                  “And?” He said before quickly pulling out his little hard drive and plugging it into the bat computer. Within seconds, he pulled up files of Flash and later Grodd from his rogues’ gallery. Tim gapped in surprise that the boy had such information at his disposal.

                  “Er… Somehow, Flash and Lex Luthor’s mind swapped in the process. He’s holding a technician hostage demanding to be sent back to earth.”

                  “Then let him kill the technician.” He replied bluntly. “Just make sure you catch him after he does.”

                  “… WHAT?” The man said in disbelief.

                  “We don’t kill!” Tim hissed.

                  “It’s too dangerous to have Luthor loose on earth with Flash’s body. Let him kill the technician.” His comment brought outrage from both sides. 

                  “Are you out of your mind?” Green Lantern shouted at him.

                  Amongst the furious shouts, a familiar laughter brought silence to them all. “You Leaguers are fools to not have noticed that’s not Batman you’re talking to. _Batman_ would never condone to killing. I would think you would know your own people well enough.” He recognized the voice as the man that saved him from pneumonia months earlier in Central, but with the tone and style he spoke in, he recognized it as President Lex Luthor.

                  “… That’s right, he would never kill anyone, no matter how terrible they are.” Green Lantern agreed.

                  Terry’s eyes narrowed as he spoke clearly. “I never claimed to be Batman. They called for assistance and I merely offered my advice to them. Whether or not they take it, it’s their choice. Though, I am curious to why Mr. President would be associating with criminals such as Grodd.”

                  “Wait… I know this tone…” The man growled. “You’re the Voice!”

                  A blast and conflict came through the speakers. “Damn it! He’s loose on the Watch Tower!”

                  “The Voice! What did you do to Batman?” Green Lantern demanded.

                  “You should be more worried about what’s happening in your Watch Tower. From what I’m hearing, Luthor can cause massive damage to the Watch Tower and the Justice League, considering he has Flash’s body. I suggest you to get rid of any food source. With Flash’s fast metabolism, the moment he uses up his energy, he’ll need to refuel. And it sounds like you’ve blown up the teleporter he was trying to use. I would keep a close guard on whatever remaining transports you have on the Watch Tower.”

                  There was a short pause, signaling that the man was thinking on the other side. “… Fine, I’ll take your advice for now.”

                  “If you still have trouble detaining him, I suggest turning off your gravity regulating system. Flash requires gravity for his powers to work best. However, knowing Luthor, he’s resourceful. It’s likely he’ll find a way to adapt and still use Flash’s powers somehow. In that case, resume the gravity field. At the speed he’ll be attempting, it’s likely he’ll knock himself out. If not, he’ll be winded enough for you to detain him.”

                  Tim wanted to intervene when Green Lantern seemed like he was going to blow a gasket. Instead, he decided to watch how Terry managed the situation. Since the boy was unwilling to tell him anything about himself, the next best thing would be watching him work. With how absorbed Terry was it was likely he was working on trained impulses. His orders were clear and direct; his hands were quick, moving from one file to another. There were twenty different files open on the screen, all information on the Flash and blue prints of the Watch Tower.

                  There was no video feed of the events occurring on the Watch Tower, but they could hear the conflict and chaos reigning. Luthor was an intelligent man, planting traps and using the advantage of Flash’s speed to travel from one place to another, exploiting the speed force to blow away his obstacles.

                  “He latched onto something whenever we throw off the gravity regulation system.” The man now identified as Mr. Terrific said.                   Luthor expected his suggestion of using the gravity against him.

                  “Hmph.” Luthor snorted. “Pathetic, the league degraded to taking advice from one of _my_ cast-offs.”

                  “This coming from a man with unhealthy obsession over Superman?” Terry retorted.

                  “I do not have an obsession over Superman!” Luthor snapped back.

                  “For the past decade and a half, Lex Corp has been developing weapons **_mainly_** to deal against Superman. In addition, countless millions were spent during those years obtaining any kryptonite available on earth. In doing so, you’ve developed cancer from over exposure to kryptonite radiation. On those circumstances and some others, you _needed_ Superman to save you.”

                  “Shut up!” Luthor snapped.

                  "More recently, you’ve spent over seventy-five million on your presidential campaign in order to infuriate the man. And while you were president, you had access to Cadmus. You’ve funded for a restart of the Superman cloning projects that was discontinued for over a year. You’ve donated your own DNA sample in order to create a hybrid clone of Superman. I believe your obsession is quite serious, Mr. President.” Terry said almost condescendingly.

                  “Nonsense!” Luthor snarled. “I would like nothing more then to destroy the man! This obsession you speak of is utter nonsense!”

                  “And yet, you technically have created what some would consider to be a son with the man. I don’t think this is nonsense as you call it Mr. President. I believe you are unhealthily infatuated with Superman. If you’re looking to start a relationship with the man of steel, I’m afraid you have competition with Ms. Lane.” Terry concluded before a deafening silence came over them. Fortunately, someone on the Watch Tower end used the distraction as a chance to knock out Luthor.

                  “We got him.” Lantern’s voice came through a moment later. “Dr. Fate will reverse the procedure and we should be able to get Flash back.”

                  “Then my assistance is no longer required. I suggest that you warn Superman of Mr. Luthor’s unhealthy interest in him. Good day.” Terry said before turning off the connection.

                  Tim burst into laughter not a moment later. He hugged his sides with his good arm and shook with laughter. The cave echoed with his mirth. He was laughing so hard that he had trouble staying in his seat. Terry had done everything in short of calling Luthor a fan boy.

                  “Oh my god.” Tim continued to laugh. “You’ve got to tell me you recorded that.”

                  “If you continue laugh like that, you’ll rip your stitches and reopen your wound.” Terry warned him. His unintended pun of gut busting humor drove the teen wonder into a heavier fit of laughter.

                   “Ow, haha!” Tim winced at the stab of pain in his side, but he couldn’t stop laughing.

                   Terry made a few quick strokes to close his files and unplugged his hard drive. He was going to get Alfred to help Tim, when another call came in. He recognized the area code for Kansas. It was likely his fellow project calling. “XIII.” He greeted.

                   “Hey Beyond! Tim didn’t call back so I…” Conner paused. “Is that Tim laughing in pain in the background?”

                   “I believe so.” Terry said dryly.

                   “What’d you do to him? He normally doesn’t laugh even around the Titans. You sure you’re genetics isn’t part Joker?” He asked.

                    Terry narrowed his eyes as he became silent. To be compared to the Joker was not something he tolerated. “Don’t… **_ever_** … joke about that.” He said coolly as he enunciated each word.

                    Conner squeaked, he was familiar with Terry’s tempers. While his fellow project does not visually show his displeasure, he could tell very well that he was furious when he pauses before drawing out each word. “N-no wait! I take it—!” Terry hung up before the other could defend himself. He hopped off his chair and went in search for the old butler. He could see blood seeping through the bandages under Tim’s robes.

                  “Master Terry?” Alfred asked when he spotted him walking out of the study.

                  “Tim’s wound opened up again. I couldn’t get him to stop laughing.”

                  Alfred was quick to follow him down to the cave. “My gracious! What on earth can be so hilarious that you would laugh until your wounds opened up again! Now I have to re-stitch your stitching!”

                  “S-sorry Alfred.” Tim attempted to stifle his laughter but failed. Alfred needed a small tranq-gun to settle him down. Slowly his laughter died down and he drifted off to sleep again. Alfred used the time to redo his stitches and bandage up his wounds.

                  “Now Master Terry, if he’s to fall into another fit of laughter like this, I give you permission to tranquilize him.” Alfred said before handing him the small tranq-gun. “Would you mind taking care of this mess while I bring Master Tim back to his own room?”

                  “It’s not a problem Alfred.” He said as the old butler grabbed a wheelchair and wheeled Tim back to his room.

                  With the two gone, Terry took it as his chance to explore the cave and add new equipment to his small arsenal of tools. Among the many things he found in the cave, he acquired bugs that he slipped into Tim’s utility belt. It was unlikely he would be able to leave Gotham anytime soon, but Tim on the other hand would return to the Titans when he recovered. It would be informative to see what goes on about XIII’s life as a Teen Titan. The remaining bugs, he planned to place on Damian when he returned.

                  He used his free time to hack into parts of the bat-computer and saving an organized share of it into his hard drive. He will compare the information between his and Batman’s for optimum accuracy. The small device held over three hundred terabytes of space, and a portion of it was used for security to protect said files. He would have liked to spend more time on the bat-computer, but the remaining time he had prior to Batman and his brother’s return was used to study the layout of the manor and the many levels of the cave.

o.o.o.o.o

                  “I’m only allowing you to come on patrol with me if you abide by my rules.” Batman said as they towered over Gotham’s skylights. He had wanted to give the boy the speech when he went after Talia, but Terry’s reasoning had kept him from doing so. “We don’t kill.”

                  “…” Damian remained quiet, listening to his every word as he followed.

                  “Our way is stronger, and more disciplined than the way of the assassins. It requires more skill. Do I have your word that you will **_not_ ** kill during any point of our patrol time?”

                  “Yeah…” Damian grunted, trying to hide his irritation that Terry had said something similar the night before. “…You said I’ll be staying with you longer, what happened to your meeting with mother?”

                  “… Nothing, just a conflict of interests. Would you have preferred to stay with your mother instead?” He asked.

                  “Hell no!” Damian grounded out. “I said I wanted to help you father! I’m not going back! I’ll prove to you that I can do it!”

                  His father gave him a pointed stare before a scream caught their attention. “AH! My purse! Somebody!” A woman screeched.

                  “Catch the thief. If you do it correctly, I’ll think about it.” He replied.

                  Damian rolled his eyes as if asking if the man was serious, but since it was Batman, he knew better. “I just can’t kill him right?”

                  “No severe maiming either.” The dark knight added before the boy sighed and jumped down below with a secure grappling line.

                  Damian took down the thief with ease, but ended up breaking the man’s hand to retrieve the purse. He cursed under his breath irritably as his father came down. “I didn’t kill him!” He snapped.

                  His father gave him another look, showing him he was displeased by his performance. “Go return the bag to the woman.” He ordered.

                  Grudgingly he took the bag, while his father tied up the crook. But he didn’t hand the bag back to the woman. He chucked it at her head and knocked the woman to the ground. Another glare from his father, he gave an annoyed sigh before apologizing to the woman.

                  “Again.” The dark knight said when they moved to another location and spotted common criminals attempting to break into a jewelry store.

                  Like before Damian performed spectacularly, if not for his tendency to maim the criminals. Batman could see that the boy was trying his best, but his training from the League of Assassins was prominent in his attacks. He was trained to kill, he wasn’t meant for this line of work. At least he hadn’t killed anyone yet.  

                  “DAMN IT!” Damian cursed again when he broke the crook’s arm.

                  It was going to be a long night, and Batman could only endure it patiently as his son adapted to a no killing style. They continued for hours before returning to the cave. It wasn’t time for the sun to rise, but it was still early morning when they returned. Terry waited patiently for them when they stepped out of the bat-mobile.

                  “How was your patrol?” Terry greeted when they approached.

                  “Where’s Tim and why are you still awake?” His father ignored his greeting all together.

                  “Tim reopened his wounds earlier, Alfred is treating him. I offered to stay awake to assist you when you return.” Terry replied.

                  “Reopened his wounds? What was he doing?” He narrowed his eyes with a frown.

                  “Laughing. Personally, I don’t find it all too funny with what he was laughing about.” He replied before glancing at his brother. “How was patrolling the city?”

                  “Hmph.” Damian smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” Obviously pleased that he was allowed to patrol with their father as Robin, while Terry stayed behind.

                  “Not really.” Terry responded nonchalantly. “I believe its common courtesy to ask.” Damian lost his smirk as he glared holes into his brother’s head.

                  Batman interrupted before it could escalate into a fight. “Enough, both of you should be in bed.”

                  “What about your equipment?” Terry asked.

                  “What did Alfred tell you?” He asked.

                  “Take your costume to his workstation if it has any rip or tears and put away whatever equipment that wasn’t damaged. I said I’d do it for him so he could get some rest. He’s probably been up longer then any of us.”

                  “Fine. Damian, leave your equipment and go to bed. I’ll come up and check on you later.” Their father ordered.

                  “Yes father.” Damian muttered darkly before heading up the steps.

                  The rest hadn’t taken long. Terry done what he promised while Bruce went over to the medic bay to retrieve medical supplies to treat the minor injuries on his person. Terry used it as a chance to slip another bug into the inner ear of the cowl. It would serve to inform him when his father returns from his nightly patrols in the future. He made sure it wouldn’t be noticeable or discovered by Alfred or Batman, even if they were to manhandle the cowl.

                  “Are you done?” Bruce asked as he returned to the equipment storage buttoning up a shirt as he came.

                  “All completed.” Terry replied looking up at the man.

                  “Now go to bed.” He said as he ruffled his hair, ushering him to leave the cave with him. That motion would have normally annoyed him, but it felt warm and comforting when his father did so.

                  Of course, he wasn’t distracted from what he planned. He planted a bug at Damian’s door and his window. If his homicidal brother tried getting out of his room either way, he would be alerted. There was still the matter of bugging Damian personally. He needed to know the location of his brother at all times, at least until he familiarize himself with the whole manor, but for now, he’ll settle with the location bugs. He managed three hours of sleep before the bugs alerted him of Damian’s departure from his room at exactly 0800 hours. He was up and about, readied when Damian entered his room.

                  “Good morning.” Terry greeted from the shadows when Damian slipped towards the bed with his sword, surprisingly still in his sheath.

                  “How did you know I was coming?” Damian’s eyes narrowed at the shadows where Terry was hiding in earlier.

                  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” Terry gave a light-hearted reply with a generic smile, repeating what the older Wayne said earlier in the cave.

                  “Enough!” Damian snarled before swinging his sheathed blade at his brother. It was not as deadly with the sheath on, but the momentum and skill Damian possessed would leave a painful bruise or a concussion had it landed.

                  Terry pulled out his RSS flashlight to redirect the blow before slipping out of his room once again. His door pushed out rather in, giving Damian no chance to slamming it shut. With more space to move about, Terry made an effort to have Damian chase him rather than face him in direct combat as he done in his room.

                  “You do know having your blade sheathed isn’t going to kill me.” Terry taunted as he rounded the corner.

                  “I don’t need to kill you, I just need to beat you close to death!” He snarled.

                  Damian recognized it as a similar tactic he used earlier the previous day and rebounded off the wall for the incoming batarang.

Instead of a batarang coming at him, it was a dart. He raised his blade to block, knocking the dart onto the ground. Glancing at the floor, he noticed it was a tranquilizer dart. He spared no more time has he hurried after his brother.

                  “The servant is not in the kitchen if you’re heading there! He won’t be able to call for help!” Damian shouted.

                  Terry didn’t respond as he jumped over the banister of the upper level and landed on the living room couch. Rebounding off the couch, he tossed black orbs about. The orbs exploded with smoke and lights; they were smoke and gas bombs. The bombs didn’t faze Damian in the least, but that wasn’t what Terry was using them for. He used them for the noise it created. Unfortunately, before they could continue, the doorbell halted their fight. 

                  “Who on earth visits father this early in the morning?” Damian glares at the sound.

                  Noticing the older boy was distracted; Terry tossed another smoke bomb before taking off down another hall. If there were guests, they must hide. It would be pointless to reason with the older boy. This way, he’ll get them both out of sight before their father comes down and see the mess they made out of the manor. Unfortunately, they hadn’t gotten far when they were pulled off their feet by the collars of their clothing. Glaring at them was one highly irritated and sleep deprived Bruce Wayne.

                  “Good morning.” Terry greeted.

                  “Do I want to know why the two of you are already up and wreaking my manor?” The man said darkly.

                  “I was helping Damian with his training.” Terry lied brightly. “He’s not supposed to kill right?”

                  “… Training.” Bruce droned, obviously not believing his lie. Damian gave him a similar look as if asking if he was that much of a dunce that their father would believe such a poorly thought out lie.

                  “He hasn’t killed me yet, has he?” He said almost cheerfully.

                  “…” That answer took Bruce off guard, never before was there a child in his care that would lie so outrageously. He was about to hand out the punishments justly when his guests interrupted him.

                  “Sir, Miss Diana and Miss Shyera are here to see you.” Alfred informed him as he brought the two women in.

                  “… Planning on redecorating?” Shyera drawled as she glanced about the chaotic mess of the living room.

                  “Did we catch you on a bad time Bruce?” Diana asked hesitantly.

                  “No, it’s fine.” Bruce reassured them.

                  “Right… with you still in your sleepwear. I’m quite sure everything is fine.” Shyera said sardonically.

                  “… Terry can you escort our guests to the kitchen… if you and Damian haven’t destroyed it yet.” Bruce lowered the boy the ground.

                  “Of course.” Terry said before turning to the women with a disarming grin. “This way please.” He gave a courteous flourish of a hand and led them to the kitchen.

                  “Alfred, take Damian to his room.” He gave a pointed glare to the boy as he lowered him to the ground as well. “I’ll talk with you later.”

                  “Certainly sir.” Alfred said before placing a hand on Damian’s shoulder and ushering the boy towards the stairs.

                  While Bruce rushed back to his room to change out of his silk pajamas, Terry was catering to his two guests. Both he recognized as Wonder Woman and Hawk Girl respectively. The two were bewildered by his and Damian’s presence.

                  “Would either of you like a drink while you wait? I would offer breakfast, but I can’t really cook.” He leaned heavily on his childish façade as he spoke. 

                  “No thanks, but thanks for offer.” Diana said as she studied him curiously.

                  “Are you Wonder Woman and Hawk Girl?” His fake innocence startled the two.

                  “… Why do you ask?” Diana responded.

                  “I saw pictures of the both of you on TV!” He said in excitement. “You two are from the Justice League! You’re heroes!”

                  “But keep it to yourself kid.” Shyera said with a wry grin at his energy.

                  “So why are you here? Hmm… wait! I know! You’re looking for Batman! Since you’re in Gotham!” He kept his words childish. 

                  “Yes… we are,” Diana said gently. “Terry, is it?”

                  “Uh huh!” He nodded his head.

                  “I haven’t seen you here before. Are you a relative of Alfred’s?” She asked.

                  “Hmm…” He shrugged. “OH! Do you like Batman Miss Diana?”

                  The woman flushed at his question. “W-what?”

                  “Do—you—like—Batman?” He repeated.

                  “I-I…” The woman looked away blushing.

                  “I’ll take that as a yes. You should definitely go after him!” He suggested.

                  “… Aren’t you a little young to be giving romantic advice?” Shyera frowned.

                  “Maybe I am a little young.” He dropped his cheer, his eyes iced over as he spoke seriously. “But I don’t believe there is an age requirement to extract proper vengeance if she is to hurt Batman in any manner.”

                  “Pardon?” Diana stared at him in disbelief. 

                  “But I trust you won’t be hurting him anytime soon.” Terry chirped, putting up the façade again. “Are you certain you don’t want refreshments?”

                  “Terry.” Bruce said as he walks into the kitchen, now out of his sleepwear. “Go help Alfred with the mess you made.”

                  “Of course Mr. Wayne.” He replied before leaving the room.

                  “Strange kid you got there.” Shyera commented as she crossed her arms. “I think he’s protective of you.”

                  “Is there a reason for your visit?” He ignored her quip about his newest charge.

                  “We were just coming to check if you were all right. John said that the Voice was using your systems when he called last night.” Diana answered.

                  Bruce’s eyes narrowed. “He what?”

                  “He would have come himself, but there was an incident on the Watch Tower.” Diana continued.

                  “Excuse me for a moment Diana.” He said before turning his heel towards the door. “Terry!”

                  The two women watched curiously as the odd boy returned to the room with a broom in his hand. “Is there something wrong?” He gave an innocent look at he walked in.

                  “You were on my computer last night?” He glared.

                  “Tim was with me, I had his permission.” Terry defended himself.

                  “And you impersonated me?” The older man growled.

                  “I never said I was you, they just assumed I was.” He argued. “It’s not my problem that they can’t tell between a child and Batman. I don’t even have a voice changer this time!”

                  “Bruce.” Diana placed a hand on his shoulder. “He didn’t do anything wrong.” The man glanced at her, his eyes demanding an explanation. “While we were gone yesterday, Dr. Fate attempted to use Flash to find a connection to Grodd, but accidentally swapped Flash’s mind with Luthor’s. He actually helped a great deal by advising John and the others what to do, while he distracted Luthor long enough for them to swap back.”

                  Bruce glanced at the small boy for a moment, he showed no regret or remorse.“… Go back to help Alfred. We _will_ talk about it later.”

                  “Yes, Mr. Wayne.” He said before dragging himself back out to help Alfred.

                  “That boy is the Voice?” Shyera asked in disbelief once Beyond was out of sight. “Hard to believe Cadmus trusted a child with guarding the Justice League.”

                  “And how did John mistake him for me? The boy did say he was not using a voice changer of any sort.”

                  “We weren’t there, so we’re not too sure ourselves. John was the one there, talking with him.” Diana added. “But he did say the boy sounded a lot like you in mannerisms. It reminded him of what happened when we were de-aged, a few years ago.”

                  “There is still the question, why he’s living with you… Is there something you want to tell us?” Shyera asked as she crossed her arms.

                  “Remember Clark’s boy?” He asked. The two women nodded. “He broke him out and Cadmus is after his blood for deserting and betraying them.”

                  “…So you took him into your care.” Diana concluded. 

o.o.o.o.o

                  Terry returned to the living room while Bruce entertained his guests. Alfred glanced up with a smile when he spotted the boy returning.

                  “Are you having trouble Master Terry?” The old butler asked as he approached.

                  “I can handle cleaning.” He murmured as he cleaned. Interestingly enough, despite of the threat the butler posed to him, he found himself at ease with the man.

                  “That wasn’t what I was asking, young master.” He said drawing a curious glance from the boy. “You’ve never had to deal with people on a regular basis have you? When you had, you normally lie and put up a childish front.”

                  “…” Terry was silent. It was the truth and he didn’t know how to respond to it.

                  “You were lying again earlier and a poor one at that. I know you are aware of Master Bruce’s intelligence, this makes me believe you’re having trouble adjusting… or more likely, trusting us.” Alfred concluded. “You’re falling back on your training to lie and deceive in order to protect yourself.”

                  “Mr. Wayne said I need to help you clean.” He changed the subject as he continued to sweep up the mess.

                  “If you are disturbed by Master Damian, you could inform us. You needn’t fend for yourself. It won’t affect the status of your stay here. Master Bruce will not back from his offer of sanctuary to you.” Alfred said.

                  “… I know. He’s a man of his word.” Terry said.

                  “I’m glad you are aware of that Master Terry. I do hope you will be able to trust us in the future. After all, you are family.” Alfred said before he resumed his work. “You should really get use to calling him father.”

                  “… I’ll try…” Terry murmured. He truly wanted to call the man his father, since he obviously was, but he felt uncomfortable with it.

                  It took Terry and Alfred two hours to clean up the mess. During that time, Diana and Shyera left claiming they had duties to attend to back at the Watch Tower. He wasn’t worried that the women found out he was the Voice. Neither of them have a civilian identity, they spend most of their time either on the Watch Tower or out on missions. They wouldn’t have time to blab about his identity.

                  “Why did you decide to help them?” Bruce asked later that day in the cave, he canceled his meetings in Wayne Tech due to their morning fiasco.

                  “I did offer you my services in exchange for sanctuary.” Terry murmured in his seat.

                  “And I said you didn’t need to.” Bruce said evenly.

                  “… I’m not trying to infiltrate your Justice League if that’s what you’re accusing me of. ”

                  “I’m not accusing you of anything.” The man continued. “I know you have some trouble adjusting.”

                  “You spoke with Alfred.” Terry concluded.

                  “Yes, I have.” He replied. “And I spoke with Tim about what you did yesterday.”

                  “What punishment will it be?” He asked, not wanting to drag it out any longer than necessary. From his experience in Cadmus, if a mistake is made or protocols were broken, punishment was to be expected.

                  “I will not punish you for doing a good deed.” The man interrupted. “But I would prefer that you tell me that you’re doing these things rather than keeping me in the dark. You know well enough from your experiences how crucial information is.”

                  “…” No punishment. That was not what he expected.  “…But, I broke your protocols…”

                  “I can’t say I know entirely how Cadmus works, but I think I can say that I work differently compared to them. You don’t have to fear punishment from me, unless you have truly done something to deserve it.” He said carefully as he watched the small boy. “I know you still have trouble trusting us, but we will help you however we can.”

                  Terry stared at the older man for a moment before quietly murmuring, “… I kept a recording of the call if you want to listen to it.”

                  The corner of Bruce’s lips twitched up before he decided to pull out his hard drive and pull out the file for him. He was curious to the piece of hardware Terry was carrying around with him, but he’ll have to refrain from asking about it, at least until the boy was more comfortable with him.

                  “Batman, we have a situation.” Green Lantern’s voice echoed the cave again as the two listened to the conversation.

                   Throughout the recording, the two studied one another, watching for the slightest movements. Terry hadn’t twitched a muscle on for the duration, but Bruce on the other hand started from calm features to a frown, and then later narrowed his eyes at Terry for suggesting them to let the technician die. As the recording continued, he slowly relaxed listening to the orders Terry directed to the leaguers. When they reached the conversation with Luthor, the man’s lips twitched up in wry smile.

_“And yet, you technically have created what some would consider to be a son with the man. I don’t think this is nonsense as you call it Mr. President. I believe you are unhealthily infatuated with Superman.”_

                    Bruce chuckled. His rich laughter echoed into the cave, giving it a more lively sound than usual. Seeing his father laughing started to worry him, what was so funny? Would he laugh like Tim, until he hurts himself?

                    Fortunately, unlike Tim his father settled down almost as immediate as he started. Even so, the man kept the smile on his face as it ended. It was strange, to see the shifting emotions in a person. He was taught that showing emotions was something that betrayed your motives to the enemies. It was something you couldn’t risk, something you needed to hide from the world. But the man before him, the man he respected the most, was showing his emotions, while not freely, he was open enough to share it with him.

 _Maybe… it’s okay?_ He thought as a hesitant smile graced his lips and he shared a smile with his father.  

 


	9. Nightfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when Terry was starting to enjoy his new life, hell occurs and he's forced to join forces with his homicidal brother Damian.

“Hey Conner.” Tim greeted his fellow Titan. After two weeks of recovery at Wayne Manor, he was glad to be back at the tower with his fellow Titans.

“YAH!” The Kryptonian clone jumped to the ceiling and clung on humorously.

“… Are you okay?” Tim asked glancing up at his teammate warily. 

“He’s been like that since he came back.” Kid Flash said as he walked into the room with an armful of sandwiches. “I think I preferred him depressed.”

“What do you know Bart?” Conner shouted at the speedster before he turned his attention back to Tim. “Hey Tim, do you think it’s possible to get my costume lead lined?” 

The question warranted a raised brow. “Are you planning to expose yourself to kryptonite any time soon? If that’s the case, I don’t think lead lining your tee-shirt and jeans are enough.” Tim answered.

“It’s been two weeks! He hadn’t made a move in two weeks!” He wailed and flew off to another part of the Titan’s Tower. 

“…I disappear for two weeks and he comes back deranged…” Tim muttered. 

“Beats me, when he first came back we were all surprised, but then he just started getting paranoid. He’s worse than you on a good day.” Bart chirped as he shoved another sandwich into his mouth. 

“…Paranoid? What makes you say that?” Tim asked before swiping one of his sandwiches.

“Hey!” The speedster whined.

“That’s for calling me paranoid.” Tim said between bites. 

“You’re the one that lives with a paranoid bat! Take it as a complement!” The other pouted. 

“Why is that whenever you or Superboy return to the tower, the noise seems to escalate?” A dark voice asked before Tim glanced up with a grin. 

“Hey Raven.” Tim greeted the girl when she glided into the room. 

“You didn’t have any trouble while your arm mended, I trust?” She asked. 

“…” Tim became silent. 

“I take it something happened?” Bart asked curiously before Tim shook his head.

“You seriously don’t want to know.” He muttered. 

                  While he was glad to be back at the tower, there was another reason why he was leave the manor. For the last two weeks, the brothers made a routine to wake at eight in the morning and go through a morning death battle. Of course, the two were careful not to wake Bruce during their morning commotions, but everyone else in the manor was free game. In more than one occasion their fights led to damages and household casualties. Both Tim and Alfred have their fair share of getting run over or woken up by their fights. The fights lasted as a long as Bruce was still asleep, if he woke, the fight ended immediately. But with the man being Batman, no one in their right mind would wake him after an exhausting night of patrol to deal with the two monsters. The two weeks of recovery at Wayne Manor was more stressful than relaxing.

“…So, anyone want to tell me why Conner is acting like this?” Tim inquired again. 

“He came back two weeks ago muttering something about pissing off the most dangerous person in the world.” Bart commented. “Wasn’t too sure about the details, he locked himself in his room for a good day or so before Cassie managed to drag his ass out of there.” 

“And he just locked himself back in there!” Wonder Girl huffed irritably as she jumped from the upper level and landed in the living room. “Welcome back Tim.”

“Thanks… So… what can you tell me about why Conner is acting like this?” Tim tried again, even if everyone else doesn’t know, at least Conner’s girlfriend should know. 

The girl sighed again as she crossed her arms. “He was ranting about pissing off some guy named Beyond. Something about that guy able to kill off any and all Cadmus projects. I really doubt it, he’s just being silly.”

“I’M NOT BEING SILLY!” Conner shouted as he rushed back to the living area, his hands shook, as he looked around frantically. “The last time I pissed him off, I nearly died!” 

“Just who is this Beyond guy? Does he have some super special power or something?” Bart asked as he zoomed in and out of the kitchen for more food and drinks. 

Conner shook his head rapidly. “He’s human.”

“Then what’s so scary about him?” Raven raised a brow. 

                  “Do you know anyone that’s willing to shoot five magazine rounds at you just because someone tells him to? And that’s when he’s in a good mood!” 

                  “Technically, it wouldn’t hurt you. Maybe he already knows it doesn’t hurt you.” Tim reasoned.

                  “Stop taking his side!” Conner snapped and pointed at Tim accusingly. “You’re on **_his_** side!” 

                  “What?” Tim said in disbelief. “Don’t be ridiculous, I’m not on his side.” 

                  “You were there laughing in the background!” Conner accused. “Frisk him! Beyond already has him on his side! He might’ve placed something on him!”

                  The others stared at him in various levels of disbelief. However, it was Cassie that placed a hand on Conner’s shoulder to stop this nonsense. “All right Conner, that’s enough. I think you should go back to your room now.” 

                  “He’s with Beyond!” He whined.

                  “Conner.” Cassie gave him a stern glare, trying to stop him.

                  “I’ll prove it!” He said before dodging his girlfriend and charged towards Tim.

                  “Hey! Wait a sec—Conner!” Tim attempted to protest but the other titan had his hands all over him in seconds. It wasn’t long before the clone screamed and flew out of the room, dropping an item as he did. 

                  Cassie gave an irritated sigh. “Now what is it?” 

                  "It seems he was screaming over this item he found on Tim.” Raven said as she picked up the object. “… It’s a flashlight…” 

                  “I was going to ask him if he knew what it was.” Tim defended himself. 

                  “Dude, I know you just got back… but uh… maybe it’s better that you leave until Conner is a little bit more sane.” Bart suggested.

                   Tim sighed and clipped the flashlight back onto his belt. “I get it. I was so hoping to get back into the rhythm.” 

                  “We’ll call you when he gets better.” Cassie said apologetically.

o.o.o.o.o

A wry grin touched his lips as Terry paused the audio recording, pulling the microphone closer. “After two weeks of no stimulants, subject XIII reacts negatively in a state of paranoia. However, when exposed to the stimulant, such as the RSS, subject flees in fear. The experiment… mmhhmm, haha!” Terry found himself laughing darkly.

                  It was always interesting to carry out XIII’s punishments when they were in Cadmus. After all, the clone was physically impenetrable without the use of the RSS. His punishments were required to be _creative_ in order to get the message through. There was no wonder to why the other is terrified of him. It took him a moment to gather himself before he stopped laughing and continued with his evaluation.

                  “The experiment is successful, any further experimentation not needed. Subject XIII’s core has not change from exposure to real world.” 

**_ Beep, beep _ **

He glanced at the monitor with a grin. “He’s early.” He said in amusement before turning off the recording and packed up his gear. 

                  There was no need to bring his drive and belongings with him any longer. It was more likely to get damage in the fights with his brother. He pulled off his loosened tie and un-tucked his shirt before grabbing a makeshift utility belt he made from the old costumes in storage. During the two weeks, Alfred decided to take him shopping for more form fitted clothes proper for his age. Dress shirts, pants, and shoes, all were not the best for combat, more suitable for some prep school. 

                  The butler preferred him to dress as fitting as a _gentleman_ should, but he was more used to the clothing Cadmus issued him. A loose white cotton shirt and a loose pair of jeans, easy to move and comfortable to stay in for a whole day, but there was a benefit to dress shirts, with them un-tucked he could keep the belt out of Damian’s sight and still access it easily. He ruffled up his hair to rid the conformity Alfred attempted to put it in. It was uncomfortable. He made a quick change of shoes before he heading upstairs and waited at the kitchen. Alfred left for the evening to avoid their fights, but he would return by the end of the evening, normally before their father returned.

                    Within the manor, there were only two places that were sacred, the kitchen and their father’s room. In those areas, there was a silent agreement that there would be no fighting. The kitchen was Alfred’s domain and if either of them wrecked the place, it meant no dinner and the butler would most likely report to their father about their daily fights. What Terry figured, the butler took their daily fights as a game of death tag. He hadn’t bothered to inform Bruce after the first two fights they had, as long as they kept the damage minimum. Their father patrolled for the majority of the night, the man deserves a restful sleep after such duties… And also, it would be hard to hide the fact they fought in the manor if his room was damaged. 

                    “You got out of your room early.” He congratulated his brother as he stormed into the area. Terry upped the security in Damian’s room during his many times out on patrol with his father. Of course, he hadn’t turned on all the security at once. He opted to test the other Wayne’s lock picking skills.

                    “You bugged me you little cheat!” Damian snapped before tossing the destroyed bugs onto the counter. 

                    “There aren’t any rules against using bugs.” Terry grinned. “Would you like a drink before we continue?” 

                    “Cut this senseless bantering and let’s go!” He snapped before storming out of the kitchen.

                    “Whatever you say.” Terry chirped. Even though Damian seems irritate, he got a feeling that the older boy enjoyed these fights. Maybe it was as Alfred assumed, this became some odd incarnation of a game between them. 

                    Even so, two weeks was nowhere enough for any major improvement in Terry’s fighting skills. Instead, he did what he was created to do: analyze, strategize and execute.He was familiar with the layout of the manor, studied Damian to the point that the older boy was predictable and easily manipulated in most cases. He implemented traps throughout the manor that awaited his trigger and lastly, he executed them with flawless precision. 

                    The fights never had a winner, due to the fact that their father normally returned before could escalate any further. An exchange of skills occurred in the process of their death tag. Damian learned better strategies and trap spotting and Terry became more adept at fleeing and defending himself. The unintentional exchange was beneficial to both parties.

**_ Beep, beep! _ **

They halted in the middle of their fight before turning off the keychain sized alarm in their pockets. Originally, Terry made only one for himself to notify him when their father returned, but Damian stolen the first from him during their earlier fights.

                  "He’s early.” Terry murmured, noting Alfred wasn’t even back yet.

Their fight would have to wait for another time. They have to clear out the areas they fought in if they didn’t their father to stumble across ruins and weapons. Damian rushed off to hide his gear while Terry ran towards the kitchen to hide his. Alfred wouldn’t comment about his choice of hiding place. Once his gear was hidden, he ran towards the north-wing to clean out whatever damages they dealt to the area. 

Amidst his cleaning, he heard a loud noise from down below. He frowned, what could have caused the noise? Alfred would never abuse a door and neither of his father’s wards would abuse something Alfred paid such respect to. The only person likely to manhandle the house would be Damian, but he trusts his brother was busy trying to hide his weapons. He couldn’t have made that racket. He laid the broom quietly aside before stealthily sneaking towards the noise. 

He found Damian doing the same on his way there. For once, the older Wayne hadn’t attacked him, their mutual curiosity kept them at a temporary truce. When they reached the source of the noise, both of them were met with a terrifying sight. A man was in the room, his arms were bulging with muscles and he wore what looked like a wrestler’s costume. He had their father by his arms and legs before violently slamming his back against his knee. They paled at the sickening crack and the agonizing scream of pain from their father. 

“Father!” Damian shouted as he charged to attack the large man. He dropped their father before he raised an arm to block Damian’s assault. 

“Oh, ho, what’s this? _Niños_.” The man said wryly. 

Terry was stunned to the spot. He knew Batman was only mortal. Yet, somewhere in the back of his mind, he thought of the man as an untouchable, a god. It was surreal to see him broken and defeated like this. 

“Hey deadweight!” Damian’s voice snapped him out of his stupefied state. “Be useful and get father out of here. You’ll only get in my way staying here.” He pulled out his hidden blades and attacked the unknown man. 

Regaining his wits, Terry’s eyes narrowed with determination before he attempted to drag his father to safety. It was difficult, considering his father was ten times his weight, but he used the rug under him as a leverage to drag him along. As much as he preferred to use more caution on his father, there was simply no time for it. He dragged Batman to the closest room he could manage before checking on the man’s status. There were no open injuries, but he feared for the damage the man done to his spine. 

Damian was right. He couldn’t fight or treat their father. However, it doesn’t mean he couldn’t help. Quickly closing the door behind him, he ran towards the cave. His gear in the kitchen won’t be useful against a big man. Having cataloged the various things that decorated and made up the bat cave, he knew very well what would be the most effective to use against such a man. Even so, he wasn’t stupid enough to run into a fight blindly without an ace up his sleeve. 

Running to the bat-computer he quickly typed a message and sent it to Tim and Dick. Those two were the most acceptable to call for assistance in Batman’s standards. With the message sent, he grabbed what he needed and hurried back to the fight. When he got back, Damian was still fighting that monstrous man. Damian wasn’t stupid to fight him head on. He used his small size, agility and flexibility against the man. 

“There was no way you could have defeated father the way you are now! Slow!” Damian smashed a broken length of wood over the man’s head. “Heavy!” He darted away when the man tried to grab him. “Limited variety of attacks.” 

“Hmph, foolish boy. You think I am such a simpleton to not have planned for Batman?” The man started to elaborate on his plans, but before he managed to go into details, Terry pulled the trigger and fired an ice beam at his legs.

“I don’t need your help deadweight!” Damian snapped back.

“Just knock him out!” Terry retorted.

“It is bad manners to attack when someone’s not looking.” The man said as he broke out of the ice casing.

A batarang whistled through the air as it sliced the tubes that injected something into the man. “Don’t forget your opponent is me! That deadweight is a waste of time.” 

“Tsk.” The man wasn’t affected at the serving of his tubes. “You think you can take me on **_boy_**?”

“I’m next in line for this city. Gotham belong to my father and it _will_ be MINE!” Damian snapped before retrieving his previous projectiles to use against the man again. 

“Children, Batman is indeed a curious man.” The man snorted before turning to attack Damian, only to be shot again from behind. An ice ray here and two darts there. The accuracy of the shot made him wary as he pulled the offending items off his neck. 

Terry held his gun steady as he shot the man twice with the tranq-gun, but judging by the man’s size, he would need more if he wanted to take him down. Seeing that Damian no longer had his attention, Terry made a quick run through the halls, deeper into the manor. 

                  Damian scowled, the man was chasing after his useless brother again. However, he was out of weapons to use. Irritability, he left the man to Terry while he hurried down to the cave to restock on batarangs, smoke bombs, flash bombs and various other weapons. 

Terry alternated from shooting the ice gun and tossing a flash bomb or a smoke bomb before running off to reload his tranq-gun. He was doing his best to distract the large man while Damian restocked. He managed to shoot another five darts into the man and use up his equipment before Damian returned with his own barrage of attacks. For the next half an hour, the brothers took turns in attacking the man until he took the total amount of twenty tranq-darts and encased up to the neck in ice. Even when they were certain the man could no longer retaliate, they couldn’t relax until help arrived. Terry done what he could in treating Bruce and Damian kept watch on their violent guest. 

Forty minutes after their distress call that Robin and Nightwing arrived back at the manor. The two gapped openly at the monster of a man in the middle of the room with Damian guarding it.

“You’re late.” Damian droned from his seat on the pile of rubble. 

“What the hell happened here?” Dick said in disbelief as he walked over to study the man. 

“He tried to kill us, simple as that. If father wasn’t against killing, I would have his head on a platter right now.” The boy spat. 

“Where’s Bruce?” Tim quickly asked when the man was nowhere in sight. 

Damian glared at the man frozen on the floor before resisting the urge to kick him. “He’s in the other room with the deadweight.”

“I’ll go check on them.” Tim said before hurrying towards the back rooms. 

Dick frowned before asking. “Where’s Alfred?” 

“The servant went out.” Damian said shrugged.

“…And did you do all this by yourself?” Dick asked glancing at the unconscious and frozen man.

“Do not insult my abilities. I would never use a gun. It’s beneath me. A cheater’s way of killing.” He snarled. 

Dick raised a brow. “Terry did this?” 

“Do you think he can take down this guy alone?” Damian said before getting up. 

“And where are you going now?” Dick raised a brow. 

“I don’t need to explain myself to you.” The boy snapped.

“DICK!” Tim’s voice shouted from the other room before he ran past Damian. Moments later, he heard the shuffling of footsteps before it became quiet again. 

“They took him to the west wing to treat him.” Terry said as he walked in.

“Shouldn’t you be helping them?” Damian grumbled irritably. 

“I can’t do anything for back injuries.” Terry said, stopping next to him to stare at the frozen man. “Now, there’s still the matter of how to deal with this nuisance.” 

“He knows too much. He’ll be a threat if we just let them hand him to the authorities.” Damian muttered.

“Should we kill him?” Terry asked nonchalantly.

Damian raised a brow as he glanced at his younger brother. “You’re actually suggesting we kill him?” He laughed harshly. “What happened to father’s ideals?” 

“I never said I agreed with them, just simply I respect his wishes.” Terry retorted. 

“Hmph.” The older boy smirked and turned his gaze back to the nuisance before them. “Any deaths resulting tonight would be automatically pinned onto my person. I’m not stupid.” 

“But is it wise to let a loose end like this go?” Terry crossed his arms as he pondered. 

“There are other ways to close off loose ends.” Damian said before jumping off the pile of rubble and landing a meter away from the frozen man.

Terry raised a brow as the other walked over to another pile of rubble and pulled out two lead pipes before tossing one to him. The younger boy caught the item and twirled it in his hand. “Hmm… What was that line you told me a few weeks ago?” He pondered. “Ah yes, you don’t need to kill, you just need to beat them close to death. Same concept I believe?” 

“Shut up and get moving.” Damian said before flipping the man face down on the ground and started smashing the pipe onto the back of the man’s head. 

“You’re going to smash his nose into his brain at this rate,” Terry said before turning the man’s head aside and smashing the pipe into the back of his head.

“Tt, it’s not like you would get the blame for killing him anyhow.” Damian smashed the pipe at the head again. 

“Oh my gracious!” Alfred’s voice made the two paused momentarily. “What on earth are you two doing?” 

“Dad is in the west wing in need of your medical expertise. Don’t mind us. I will clean up the mess after we’re done.” Terry motioned at the bloody floor.

“That’s enough Master Terry and Master Damian. Cease this at once, this is no way for gentlemen to act!” The butler said.

“Alfred thank god you’re back Bruce is—” Tim paused at the sight.

“Master Tim.” Alfred greeted, quickly striding towards the teenage. “I trust you to handle these two boys while I tend to Master Bruce.” 

Tim was stunned. He expected this violence from Damian, but to see Terry do the same was disturbing. It almost supported Conner’s accusation of lethalness. 

“If you’re going to just stand there and stare, make yourself useful and get a transport ready to take this trash into Gotham, doesn’t matter where, just as long at it’s at the base of a tall building.” Terry said checking the man’s head. “His head injuries should pass off as falling off the building. If you plan on picking a place with a fire escape, I suggest denting the metal somewhat and toss some batarangs around the area. It would help, if you make it look like a fight occurred in the area.”

“What did you two do?” Tim said in disbelief.

“Dealing with a liability.” Terry replied firmly, dealing with the situation as he would if he was in Cadmus.

“This is not the way we do things!” Tim was exasperated, he lost count how many times he repeated this line to the two. 

“What else can we do? We cannot kill him, drugging him would be considered immoral. Beating him senseless seems like the only option left. Considering that is what you’ve all been doing for the most part.” Terry reasoned. 

“But we never condone brutality as our goal! You’re giving the public the wrong image by doing this!” Tim argued before pinching the bridge of his nose and letting out a defeated sigh. “Fine.” He waved a hand to dismiss the issue. “We need to defrost him.”

“There’s a flame thrower in the cave, I believe it was confiscated from Firefly.” Terry informed him. “He shouldn’t have developed any frostbite yet if you hurry.” 

“I’m guessing you already planned out for whatever injuries Bruce might have sustained from this too.” Tim added. 

“Naturally.” Terry replied. 

“Go get Dick, I’ll get started.” Tim said before Terry jumped over the rubble and hurried towards the west wing. 

“You just fell into his manipulations.” Damian commented.

“You’re not one to talk, he got you too.” Tim retorted before walking off to the cave to retrieve the flamer thrower Terry mentioned of. 

Damian glared at the retreating teen wonder before landing a few more blows on the man’s head. 

o.o.o.o.o

“... The kid is disturbing.” Dick commented as they hauled the man’s body out of the bat-mobile. Tim figured the man to be Bane, the person that’s been bothering Batman during the last week while he was rounding up the Arkham inmates. 

“Superboy is terrified of him.” Tim added as he lifted the man out by the legs. 

“As if the brat wasn’t enough, he had to bring in another monster.” Dick muttered before setting Bane down at the base of a tall building in Crime Alley. 

“… I think he means well.” Tim muttered as he pulled out batarangs and imagined a fight between Bane and Batman. He tossed the weapons towards proper directions. It would be highly suspicious if it was entirely too random and it wouldn’t be wise to use more than a few. He made sure to have at least one grappling line in the area before alerting the police. 

“Means well?” Dick said in disbelief. 

“Just think, he was pretty much raised by Cadmus, what can he do besides what they teach and make him do?” Tim reasoned.

“From how quick and serious he is, I don’t doubt it… It’s just… disturbing how much he’s like him.” Dick muttered before they quickly jumped back into the bat-mobile. Normally, they wouldn’t dare touch the vehicle without Batman’s permission, but this should be an exception.

“Like Batman?” Robin asked when the hood closed. 

“Manipulative, dark, and seems to know about everything?” Dick listed. “Yeah, that sounds very much like the old bat.” 

Tim gave a wry grin before joking. “Maybe he’s secretly Batman’s son.”

“Let’s hope not, one bat-spawn is more then enough,” Dick commented driving back to Wayne Manor. 

o.o.o.o.o

With Nightwing and Robin out dealing with Bane, Alfred had done his best to treat Bruce’s condition. They would need to contact a professional doctor about the matter when it was a considerably more reasonable hour in the day for Bruce Wayne to have an accident. Terry had already prepared a cover story of falling off the Cliffside of Wayne Manor, with a scaling excursion.

“Do not worry young masters, Master Bruce will survive.” Alfred said sadly when the brothers came in after all he was finished. “… Why don’t the two of you take a seat next to the master? You’ve must’ve gone through a great deal. I’ll prepare a meal while you rest.”

“…” They were too exhausted to argue other wise. They each took a seat on opposite sides of the bed and watched the heaving of their father’s chest from his labored breath. 

“That man is a cheat. He could have never taken father if he was at full strength.” Damian muttered. “… Not going to say anything?” When he glanced over, Terry was already asleep with his head on the bed. “Weak…” He murmured but soon he too was out. The adrenalin rush the two were running on was finally gone. 

When Alfred returned with a tray of food he was surprised to find the two brothers already asleep. A small smile graced the old butler’s face as he placed the tray down and moved to retrieve comforters. Draping his young charges with the covering, he was going to leave them to their rest. Just as he moved to turn off the lights a thought crossed his mind and he left the room in haste to retrieve a camera. It was rare to see either boy in such a peaceful state. He probably won’t be able to get another chance to take such a picture with the father and sons. 

“Rest well young masters.” Alfred whispered as he turned off the lights and closed the door quietly. 

o.o.o.o.o

The light of noon came to Wayne Manor hours later as visitors walked up the front lawn. 

“Diana, I’m sure he’s fine.” John Stewart, the Green Lantern said as he tried to calm the Amazonian princess. He came instead of Hawk Girl due to his curiosity of this Voice character. Though, the Thanagarian laughed when he let his curiosity known to her. 

“But Clark mentioned that he heard Bruce broke his back. For mortals, that is a big deal is it not?” Diana asked worriedly.

“He’s been through worse. He even faked death before, you shouldn’t worry about it.” John said as they trekked up the steps. “It takes much more than some injury to keep him down for long.” 

“What if he was taken control by someone like Brainiac? Clark mentioned that he had taken control of Bruce before!” 

John sighed. “Stop worrying Diana. If what you said about that Voice fellow is correct, I think we have to worry about something else entirely…” He glanced at the Amazon with a raised brow. “He gave you a speech about dating Batman?” 

Diana flushed in embarrassment. “It seems that way.” 

“… I think we have to worry about having another fan boy after the male Justice League members.” He muttered as he recalled the little conversation between the Voice and Lex Luthor weeks earlier. When they finally reached the front door, there was no door to speak of. “… Maybe we do have to worry.” 

“Bruce?” Diana called out as she ran into the manor with John following closely behind.Room after room they searched was destroyed beyond recognition. They were surprised that the manor was still standing. 

“Bruce!” John joined Diana in calling out for their missing knight. 

“Would the two of you keep it down?” Tim came out moments later, donned in civilian clothing to silence the two. “Everyone is sleeping.”

“With the front door wide open?” John asked with a raised brow. 

“There are traps set around the manor. The two of you would have ran into a fair share of them if I hadn’t turned them off.” Tim commented. 

“How’s Bruce?” Diana asked. 

“He’ll live.” Tim covered a yawn. 

“What happened?” John asked looking around the area. “It looked like a tornado went through here.” 

“It’s a long story… You guys came to see Bruce right? He can’t really take visitors now.” He started, but at the worried look on Diana’s face made him decide otherwise. “But I guess I could let you see him at least.” He led them up the stairs. “Please try to be quiet though, the kids had a long night too.”

“Kids?” John questioned curiously as he followed up. 

Tim directed them to the west wing before quietly opening the door for them. Diana held back a gasp as she quietly hurried to the bed where Bruce slept. John stayed at the door studying the fallen dark knight and the two boys at his side. They stayed until Diana was willing to leave, the princess looked torn. 

“Want to tell me what happened now?” John asked when they left the west wing. “… Where is the Voice anyway? Shouldn’t he be around?” 

“… John… the child sleeping next to Bruce is the Voice.” Diana answered. 

The look of disbelief crossed the man’s face before he became stern. “Now, I really want to know what happened. You’re telling me, one of those boys there was the Voice?” 

“The younger one.” Diana added. 

John gave up trying and turned to Tim with a firm look. The teen wonder sighed. “Like I told you, it’s a long story… Why don’t we get some coffee and move to the cave?” He offered. 


	10. Civilian Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Damian gone and his father off on a rescue mission, Terry was stuck with the frontier of civilian life.

                  Every morning, at 0700 hours he’d wake in preparation for his fight with his brother Damian at 0800 hours. The routine temporarily stopped the morning after their father was taken down by Bane. The two were too exhausted to even wake at their usual time. He expected the routine to resume the morning after when their father’s condition was tended to by doctor Shondra Kinsolving, but it didn’t.

                  0800 hours, no sign of Damian.

                  0815 hours, still nothing.

It was unlike Damian to be late. Something must be wrong.  At 0900 hours he decided to leave his room. He played with the idea that the older Wayne had finally decided to change tactics and trap him instead. He was cautious not to head towards the cave immediately to check on the cameras. Damian could have gone down first and planted traps. Instead, he went to the kitchen to gather his gear before he trekked up towards his brother’s room.

                  0915 hours, he wondered if the other was sick. He was not in his room. Something felt out of place. Terry hurried to their father’s room, maybe he went to visit dad instead of continuing their routine. Damian wasn’t there either. The only person there was their father, resting from his violent encounter. Terry stayed a moment longer to make sure nothing disturbed the man before he left in search for Damian again.

                  It was getting stranger and stranger. There was no sign of his brother anywhere. He stealthily entered the cave and checked for traps as he went. He was surprised when he found none. Terry frowned as he approached the bat-computer with caution. He checked and double-checked for possible ambush, but there was none. The security recordings flickered onto the screen with a few skillful strokes and vocal commands. He rewound the footages until he spotted something in Damian’s room.

                  “Zoom camera three and play recording in real time.” He ordered. The video on the bottom left corner enlarged and began to play.

                  He frowned in worry. Someone broke into Wayne Manor without setting off any of the alarms. The front door was repaired, but the rest of the manor would have to wait until Bruce was awake to make decisions. If he was still there, they might’ve been able to catch the intruder before Damian was taken. It was a woman, donned in black with long hair.

                  Damian had woken up to the intruder, but the woman was prepared and covered a cloth against his face. He struggled frantically before falling back to unconsciousness.

 _Chloroform._ Terry noted as the woman hauled Damian under her arm. He could tell she was strong with the sinew rippling under the tight black fabric.

                  She paused and turned around to the camera with a smile. She knew it was there. Her mouth made elaborate movements for as if aiming for someone to lip read, she knew the cameras didn’t record sound.

                  Terry pulled out a notepad and pencil and scribbled down each word he made out. “… I… will… take… Da-mi-an… back… for… now… be-lov-ed…” He muttered and paused the footage. After zooming into the woman’s face he realized it was Talia al Ghul.

                  She came to take Damian back into her care, which meant his life is no longer in danger from his brother. But what is this indescribable feeling that was bothering him as he digested this information? It was unsettling, there was no danger, so why was there discomfort? He ignored the feeling and scoured the manor for bugs or hidden gifts the woman might’ve left. As much as he wanted to indulge in exploring these strange new feelings he was trained prioritized protocols. Safety before curiosity, it kept him alive in Cadmus, and it’ll keep him alive outside of it.

o.o.o.o.o

                  “Shondra!” His father’s desperate cry sent chills up Terry’s spine as he hurried to his voice. 

                   His brother was gone, his father was recovering and Tim was away at the Titan’s Tower. They were defenseless against any further attacks. He stayed within the shadows as he watched the vehicle slam shut and speed away. His father was on the ground, knocked off his wheelchair and Dr. Kinsolving was gone, likely taken by the assailants.

                  “Dad!” He called out to him as he hurried to the older man’s side.

                  “Get me Damian.” He ordered immediately.

                  He felt a gnawing pain at his chest. “Damian’s gone.”

                  Bruce turned to him immediately. “Gone? Where?” He snapped as he grabbed Terry’s arm. “When?”

                  Terry held back a grimace of pain. His father was hurting him. “This morning.” He answered. “Talia al Ghul took him and left a message for you.”

                  His father’s eyes narrowed before releasing his arm. “Get the wheelchair.” He ordered and released his arm.

                  Terry moved to retrieve the item. His arm was red from the harsh grip, but he ignored the urge to rub it. “You’re not planning on going after them in your current state are you?” Terry asked as his father hauled himself back onto the wheelchair.

                  “Where’s Alfred?” He ignored his question.

                  “You can’t! Not in your current condition!” Terry started, but the man wheeled himself back towards the house. He tried running in front to stop the man, but his dad glared at him.

                  “Out of my way.” Bruce growled. “I’ll find Alfred myself.”

                  “You’re being irrational!” Terry tried again before the man swerved his wheelchair around him and sped into the manor. He gritted his teeth as he chased after him. Despite his injuries, his dad was still a strong man. His arms were more than enough to speed through the halls and towards the kitchen where Alfred could be found.

                  “Master Bruce, Master Terry are the two of you indulging yourselves in a round of tag?” The butler raised a brow when they rushed into the kitchen. “I doubt Dr. Kinsolving would approve of your choice in games in your current state.”

                  “She’s been kidnapped.” Bruce said bluntly. “Ready my things, I’m going after her.”

                  “Alfred, tell him he’s being irrational! He can’t be going out like this! It’s suicidal!” Terry argued adamantly for the first time during his stay at the manor. “You can’t go out as Batman in your current state, much less as Bruce Wayne!”

                   “It’s none of your business. I know what I’m doing!” Bruce growled.

                   “Your infatuation with this woman is not worth your life!” Terry snapped. “Call someone from the Justice league to save her if you have to! This is an unnecessary risk you’re taking! She’s nothing more than a civilian! She’s not worth it!”

                    Silence came between the two before Bruce spoke quietly. “Go to your room and stay there. My decision is final.” He wheeled himself out of the kitchen.

                    Terry found himself reciting the rules of engagement in reconnaissance work. _One must not show true emotions, one must not allow the enemy to see weakness. One must not—_ He was furious! This man— his father, the most intelligent man in the world, the best of the best… he was the only person he truly respected. How could he let his emotions cloud his rationality? He was going on this pointless endeavor all to save a _civilian_ woman.  Not even anyone with value!

                     His dad leaving was bothered him to no ends. He let out a shaking breath as he raised a hand to his heart. It felt uncomfortable, the pressure felt like pain, but it wasn’t hurting. The steady rhythm pulsed under his hand as he wondered what caused this discomfort. His actions didn’t go unnoticed by the butler.

                     “Master Terry?” Alfred questioned before his young master turned to him. “Are you feeling well?”

                     “Just a discomfort at my chest, I’ll be fine in a moment.” He replied, glancing at the door his dad left through. “He shouldn’t be going.”

                     “You’re worried.” Alfred said quietly.

                     “…Worried?” Terry questioned as if the word was foreign to him. “Why would I be worried? I know what would happen if he goes as he is now. He will die. People only worry about things they’re uncertain of. I’m quite certain he will die if he goes.”

                     Alfred shook his head. “You’re worried and possibly even terrified because you know this.”

                     Terry was confused. “Why would I be?”

                     “You said you felt a discomfort at your chest. I’m willing to bet you had a similar feelings when you found Master Damian was missing this morning.”

                     “… How is that discomfort related to anything?” He asked. The old butler seemed to have a sixth sense for these things.

                     “Master Terry, you feel such because you have an attachment to Master Bruce and Master Damian.” Alfred explained.

                     “…Attachment?” Terry murmured in confusion. In Cadmus, he never came across these things. The closest he had to this feeling was when his time with Project Meta was coming to an end, but even then it wasn’t this strong.

                     “You are accustomed to having Master Damian and Master Bruce within your range, when Master Damian was taken, you felt a sense of lost. And with Master Bruce leaving so soon after, it’s natural for you to not want him to leave.”

                     Terry pushed the thoughts aside.  “Aside from these pointless feelings…” They needed to deal with the matters on hand. “Has he even thought about Gotham? What does he think would happen to it if Batman was gone? He’s willing to risk his city for a civilian!”

                     “That’s just the way Master Bruce is,” Alfred sighed and placed an understanding hand on Terry’s shoulder. “I will try to speak some sense into him, but it’s probably best that you don’t cross him again for now.”

                      He tensed at the touch and stiffly walked out of the kitchen.

o.o.o.o.o

                      Alfred watched sadly as his young master left. The boy had no experience in physical affection. He was confused and discomforted by Alfred’s gesture. The old butler sighed as he placed away the polished silverware. There were matters he must speak with Bruce. He was not about to leave his young master alone in the manor, even if he shown that he is quite capable of taking care of himself time and time again. The boy needed more human interaction and stop secluding himself like Batman.

                      Naturally, he found Bruce in the cave preparing the jet. “Are my things ready, Alfred?” Bruce asked not tearing his eyes away from the screen.

                     “Sir, there’s a matter I would like to speak to you about before we go.” Alfred spoke. Bruce didn’t turn around. “Surely you don’t expect me to allow you to venture alone on this matter, did you?”

                     “What is it Alfred? Can’t this wait for when we returned?” He murmured as he pressed for the lift to come down for him.

                     “It’s about Master Terry.” Alfred replied.

                     “Whatever it is, we can deal with it when we returned.” Bruce tried rolling towards the lift.

                      Alfred grabbed onto his chair and stopped him in his tracks. “I’m afraid sir, this cannot wait.” He grounded in a stern tone. “It concerns to his mental well-being.”

                      At the mention of his pseudo son’s health, Bruce stopped and glanced up. “I’m listening.             

                     “We already know the boy never had a chance at a normal upbringing in Cadmus, but it seems that he has grown attached to both you and Master Damian.”

                      “To Damian?” Bruce said in surprise.

                      “Yes.” Alfred continued. “He wasn’t aware of it himself, but the reason for his behavior earlier was due to his subconscious fear of losing you so soon after Master Damian was taken. You and Master Damian are likely the first he’s attached to.”

                      “He has Superboy from Cadmus.” Bruce reasoned.

                      “What I gathered from Master Tim, young Conner is more attached to Master Terry, than Master Terry to him.” Alfred countered. “There’s also Dr. Kinsolving’s kidnap to consider. No doubt he was near when that incident occurred?”

                      “He appeared as soon as they left. He was probably waiting for them to leave before coming out.” Bruce answered. Taking Terry’s tactical mind into consideration, the boy wouldn’t have approached him unless he was certain it was safe. Otherwise, he would be able to call for assistance if Bruce was taken as well.

                      “Master Bruce, think in his stand point for a moment. One of the attachments he’s grown accustomed to was taken away. Then not even hours later, someone else was taken in a similar manner. You cannot fault him for feeling the way he does.”

                      “I see.” The other man murmured.

                      “While young Master Terry _is_ a child. He does not know how to express himself as one. He hadn’t the luxury to learn as one, considering his upbringing was more likely monitored by trained specialists rather than a nurturing caretaker.”

                      Bruce allowed Alfred’s words to sink in as he pondered over his actions. “Alfred, please get Terry and have him meet me at the study.”

                      Seeing Bruce wasn’t rushing off to leave, Alfred backed away from the chair. “That will take a moment. Master Terry has gone off on his own after you dismissed him to his room. I’m afraid he’s more than familiar with the camera placement within the manor to search him by those means.”

                      “You never had trouble with the other Robins in the past.” The man muttered as he rolled himself to the batcomputer.

                      “Very well sir.” Alfred said as he headed up the steps.

                      Bruce’s hands glided over the keys before he hit the speed dial. A feminine voice answered on the other end. “Yes Mr. Wayne?”

                      “Sasha, meet me in my study.” He ordered.

o.o.o.o.o

                  Not wanting to return to his room, Terry decided to wander the manor. He felt exposed as he slinked bout the shadows, resisting the urge to hide in one of the many rooms in the manor. He almost wished the old construct had vents that he could crawl into and hide until he felt it was safe again. His own room offered no such security with Damian attacking him daily. It was just another place to rest his eyes until the next day starts.

                  Even so, he eventually found himself wandering into Damian’s room. The security code was his own creation, it didn’t take him long to unlock the room. As he stepped in, he noted all the traps he placed up were disabled. Talia likely deactivated them when she came to retrieve Damian, as skilled as his brother was, he couldn’t disable everything without Terry knowing about it. With nothing better to do, he decided to restore all the traps.

                  It comforted him slightly as he rested his back against the foot of the bed in the middle of the room. Surrounded by active traps and weapons Damian left behind, he found it strange that Damian’s lingering presence had a calming effect. 

**_Knock, knock_ **

                  He glanced up as the door slowly opened and Alfred stepped into the room. He kept the doorway trap-free for Alfred’s convenience, but the door was kept heavily coded to keep the older Wayne from escaping the room.

                  “I thought you might be here.” Alfred spoke gently.

                  “Do you need me for something?” Terry asked.

                  “Master Bruce would like to speak with you in the study.”

                  Terry tilted his head aside curiously. “Did he reconsider?”

                  “I’m afraid I don’t know the answer.” The butler replied.

                  Reluctantly, Terry crawled to his feet and followed Alfred. He made certain to stay behind the man even as they entered the study. Terry noticed there was another person in the room, a young woman with a lean physique. With how she carried herself, he quickly crossed off any collared occupations. She was a fighter and unlike his father, she made no attempt to hide it.

                  “Terry, this is Sasha Bordeaux, she will be your bodyguard and caretaker while I’m gone.” Bruce started.

                  “I don’t need one.” He interrupted with a British accent in his voice. “I can take care of myself.”

                  “Like many other children claim.” Sasha cut in.

                  Terry glanced between the woman and his father before he turned his heel and left the room. There was no point in him trying to argue with the woman present. It was part of his father’s plan to keep him from interfering again. By having the study as the meeting ground, his father effectively blocked him from entering the bat-cave with the woman around. He would have to find ways around it once he was gone.

o.o.o.o.o

                  Terry’s accent didn’t go unnoticed by Bruce. It was understandable that the boy didn’t trust easily. He would give the boy some space until he returned from his trip.

“I’ll trust him in your care Sasha.” He said before opening the doorway to the cave.

                  “Don’t worry, I won’t allow anything to happen to him.” She assured him before he and Alfred gone below and the clock closed behind them.

                  “Master Bruce, are you certain it’s wise leaving Master Terry in Miss Sasha’s care?” Alfred asked as they descended.

                  “He’s not Damian, we won’t return to Sasha’s corpse.” Bruce said.

                  “That’s not what I meant sir.” Alfred frowned.

                  “I’m not the best role-model for human interaction. He needs to be around other people other than super heroes and meta-humans.”

                  “… You didn’t simply leave him in Miss Sasha’s care, did you?” Alfred said in revelation.

                  “He’ll be fine.” Bruce added before they boarded the jet.

o.o.o.o.o

                  Sasha Bordeaux wasn’t certain why she was called into the manor. Her duties normally involved the protection of Bruce Wayne off the Wayne Manor property. There was no need for her skills within the manor. That was to be dealt by Batman and his clan. Imagine her surprise when she saw the man in a wheelchair.

                  He injured himself as Batman that much she was able to grasp. What surprised her was the reassignment he given her. Her charge was no longer Bruce Wayne, but Terrance Wayne… his son. Unlike the previous children he adopted, this child was of his blood.

                  She felt a pang of pain well up at her chest. He had a child with another woman. While the relationship between them was nothing more than employer and employee, she had fallen for the man as many other women before her. Even so, he trusted her with his son, and she would do everything in her capability to protect the boy.

                  After Bruce and Alfred departed, she went in search of her new charge. She had little trouble navigating the huge manor, even if she rarely stepped into the building, she made it her priority early on to familiarize with the layout before she found Bruce’s double-life activities. She started with the west-wing where the living quarters situated. It didn’t take long, given the boy was blasting his speakers with the door open. He was occupied with a console game on a flat screen and splayed himself on top of the messy bed with snacks surrounding him.

                  _… This is his child?_ She doubted, but Bruce assigned her to care for the child, she has no say in the matter. “I know you’re not happy with your father leaving like this, but you know he’s a busy man.” She tried to see if the boy knew Bruce was Batman.

                  “Busy chasing skirts I say.” He countered with an accent-laced voice.

                  _Not likely._ “Just because you’re angry at him doesn’t mean you can disrespect him. He’s still your father.” She scolded.

                  “And who are you? My mother?” Terry said snidely, not bothering to look at her as he cleared the stage on the game.

                  Sasha yanked the power off from the screen. “I would prefer that you’re paying attention to me when I’m speaking to you.” She crossed her arms. “Your tantrums might have worked with your mother, but it will not with me.”

                  “What will you do then? What _can_ you do?” He taunted her with an arch of a brow.

                  “I can take away your privileges within this household, until your father returns.” She crossed her arms.

                  “You’re going to take away my bathroom privileges too? I wonder how badly I’ll smell after two days.” He snipped.

                  “I wouldn’t be cheeky if I were you. If you smell it won’t be my problem if the kids at school make fun of you.” She retorted.

                  “…School?” His voice dropped.

                  “Yes, school. Your father enrolled you in one. It’s about time you returned to school after this long period of transitioning from Britain.”

                  “You’re joking.” He said darkly.

                  “You’re going to school tomorrow.” She repeated.

                  “I’m not going.” He said firmly.

                  “You have no choice in the matter.” She continued.

                  “Have it your way.” He dropped the controller and left the room.

                  Sasha pinched the bridge of her nose as she felt a migraine coming. “How is it possible that he would have a child like this rotten?” She muttered.

                   Still, she gave the boy ten minutes before she went after him, she didn’t want to deal with the walking migraine. Though, she quickly regretted letting him out of her sight, the only reason she found him in the first place was because he allowed it to happen.

o.o.o.o.o.o

                   After leaving the woman in Tim’s room, Terry quickly moved to the cave. He chose Tim’s room for the stage up because the games and console Tim’s room carried. Damian’s room was too dangerous to leave the woman in and he didn’t want her in there anyhow. From what he gathered, the woman was nothing more than a hired bodyguard. The chance of her knowing his father’s nightly activities was unlikely, but he would keep an eye out just in case.

                    Hooking up his drive to the bat-computer, he looked through the archives in search for the woman’s data. He wondered if he overlooked the woman during his previous searches, but after going through the bulk of the information he had on Bruce Wayne, the woman was never mentioned. She was hired while he was on the run from Cadmus. He went through the bat-computer’s system searching for the woman’s files. If he was certain of anything, he was certain his father was like him. They don’t like working with the unknown or having one in their presence.

                    The woman has a clean record. There was a full profile on what she was capable of performing. Saves him the trouble to taunt and aggravate the woman to test what she’s capable of. Imitating Damian’s speech pattern was very tiresome, even after he dumb down the vocabulary and violence. He aimed irritated the woman to lose her temper. He wanted to study her further. What level of discipline does this woman have? Can he trust his safety in the presence of this woman?

                     But that’ll have to wait. He has another matter to deal with all together.

 

School…

 

                  He wasn’t certain why his father wanted to place him in public view, but what he does know was that he needed to place up a façade that would support Bruce Wayne’s image. He was not anxious or excited to attend school. His peers were likely younger and the chances of he had with someone having an equal level of intelligence to converse with was unlikely.

                  He glanced at the security screens. The woman went through one room after another searching for him. She was persistent and devoted to her duties he’ll give her that. That persistence might become a nuisance later, but enough about the woman.

                  His hands glided across the keyboard as he pulled up files of the school his father placed him in, Gotham Preparatory Academy (GPA). A prestige school for the children of the upper class Gothamites, children from well named families in Gotham would be attending. Only a small percentage of the students were middleclass children of Wayne Tech employees. They were there through the benefits of Wayne Tech. In normal circumstances they would never be able to afford attending these schools.

                  Hacking into the school system was a joke, the security was child’s play compared to what he’s worked with in the past. The school’s blueprint, curriculum and even student attendance was at his grasp. He disliked going into anything blindly. This was an infiltration assignment and he will excel in it as he has in the past.

o.o.o.o.o

                  The next morning, Sasha tried rushing him through breakfast and later school, but Terry retaliated by taking his time. Dressing, eating, even strolling to the car, he annoyed the woman beyond belief with his lazed and relaxed demeanor.

                  Once he arrived as school, he waited until she was gone before placed up a charming smile greeting his teachers and peers. From past experiences smiling worked best, even if it was fake. The teachers remained unimpressed. They were long desensitized by the charm of the upper-class children. The students on the other hand were intrigued and more than willing to interact with him, even if just to show off their family assets.

                  The classes had no more than fifteen students at a time and no more than one or two classes per year. It was a school for the privileged, from what he remembered in the student roll there was only one middleclass student in his class.

                  It was dreadfully dull. Everything they taught Terry had already learned when he was in Project Meta. Compared to the statistic and crime reports he was given in Cadmus, basic arithmetic was nothing. Even so, he couldn’t let them know he was more than capable. He made a show of absentmindedness, staring off into space every so often that the teacher needed to reprimand him. He spent his time studying his peers experimenting for the best responses he needed from them.

                  It was a week before he could list various cliques among the students and the peculiar behavior they have around him. Children were strange... Unlike Rose’s group during No Man’s Land, they don’t have the maturity and independent mindset. Yet, they weren’t helpless like Cindy’s group near Nuva-Gen. They had an arrogance that reminded him of Project Meta, but unlike them, they didn’t have the ability to defy their superiors. If anything they acted docile when adults were around.

                  The peculiar children didn’t plague his thoughts. Rather, it was the fact that he had to hide his proficiency irked him the most. The Bordeaux woman was a nuisance, after the initial slip he gave her. She tailed him endlessly, suffocating him. There wasn’t a moment where he could pull off his masks and relax. He did his best to endure through another week.

                  By the thirteenth day, Terry reached his limits and escaped from the woman’s careful watch. He slinked into the comforting darkness of the cave. She would be looking for him for hours, but he could care less. He was preoccupied with basking in the solitary silence of the cave. He had limited his visits to the cave to keep from her rousing suspicion to why he lingered at the study so often. He didn’t want to risk her finding the cave.

                  He melted in the seat in front of the computer in delight. The solitary silence was comforting after being in the woman’s presence for so long. But he wasn’t one to sit still; he needed to talk to someone before he went mad. Reaching for the keys, he dialed a number he long remembered since he came to Wayne Manor.

                  “Hello, Kent residence.” A sweet woman answered on the other line.

                  “Hi Mrs. Kent.” Terry greeted with a sugarcoated voice. “Is Conner in? He said I could call him.”

                  “He’s out in the barn now, but I’ll go get him for you.” She said before he heard the sound of the receiver rested on a surface.

                  Terry sank into his seat as he waited. For some reason, he felt giddy to be able to talk to the super-clone soon.

o.o.o.o.o

                  Martha Kent made a quick trip to the barn in seconds for her boy’s genetic son. Ever since that phone call several weeks ago, Conner acted strange and paranoid. He even pushed away Clark’s attempt to help him when he normally would be more than ecstatic to have Clark around. She shook her head as she stepped into the barn, Conner was nowhere in sight, but she knew better. She made a few quick strides to the wooden shed that stored Clark’s spaceship before knocking it gently.

                  “Conner, there’s a phone call for you.” She said gently, trying to urge the boy to come out. The only time he ever comes out was to relieve himself and grab a bite to eat.

                  “If it’s Cassie or Garfield, tell them I’m not here!” His muffled voice came through.

                  “It’s not Cassie or Garfield. It sounded like a little boy, he said you let him call you.” She said.

                  “…Little… boy?” The shed shook and rattled as if Conner was trembling inside of it.

                  “Do you want me to tell him to call back later?”

                  “NO!” The shed popped open as Conner jumped out in a frantic in place jogging. “D-don’t hang up!” He waved his hands erratically.

                  She titled her head aside curiously, who can this little boy possibly be? “Are you sure? If you don’t feel well—”

                  “I’ll take it now!” He shouted before dashing back to the house.

                  Martha shook her head with a smile as she moved to the ship to close the hatch. The boy would always hide in that small ship whenever he was bothered. Though, normally he’d prefer running away until Clark came back to find him. He always enjoyed the open space. Whatever bothered him must’ve been serious for him to stay in the ship for so long.

o.o.o.o.o

                  Terry waited fifteen minutes before he heard a slight change in sound. With the grandness of the cave, every little sound echoed tenfold. He sat up when he heard a shuddering breath.

                  “I can hear you breathing XIII.” He said wryly.

                  “H-hey Beyond, what’s up?” Conner said with a weak laugh.

                  “Are you still anticipating punishment?” Terry asked, highly amused by the obvious stress levels he’s inducing on the other.

                  “I said I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” He wailed pathetically.

                  “You can stop your groveling. I won’t punish you.” Terry answered calmly.

                  “Really? You’re not going to punish me in any form whatsoever?” He asked again, almost hesitantly.

                  “I won’t.” Terry replied with a small twitch at the corner of his lips.

                  A moment of silence passed between the two before Conner decided to speak again. “… That’s it? Just like that?”

                  Terry raised a brow at this question. “Would you have preferred I dealt out a proper punishment for you?” He asked dryly before the other squeaked nervously.

                  “No, no!” He sounded frantic. “It’s just that… This is sorta how things turn out with pa, ya know.”

                  “It’ll be a warning this time, next time I won’t be as lenient.” Terry added.

                  “I won’t speak of it again! I promise!” He continued before Terry could change his mind. “But you’re still sadistic.”

                  “Only in efficiency.” The other responded.

                  “Sadist.” Conner muttered under his breath, but his fellow project could clearly hear him. “So why’d you call? It can’t be because you’re feeling generous to tell me I’m off the hook.”

                  “I need research materials.” Terry said bluntly.

                  “Research materials? You’re with your family aren’t you? Can’t they get it for you?” Conner said in confusion.

                  “They’re away at the moment.” Terry said.

                  “You can always call Tim.” Conner added.

                  “I could ask him, but I prefer to have your Cadmus trained perspective in this matter.”

                  “On what?” Conner was baffled.

                  “School.” The younger boy droned. “I’m currently assigned with reconnaissance duty in school with children within my age range.”

                  “Ah… can’t help you there, it’s likely yours is a prep school, my poor farmer family can’t afford it like yours.” Conner said after a short second of pondering.

                  “It’s still school.” Terry said bluntly.

                  “It’s like saying you and I have the same job.” The clone muttered before brushing it off. “But fine, go on, I’ll see what I can do.”

                  “I’m not sure why he decided I need to be in public view, but it’s likely for infiltration practice or at least something in the manner. I haven’t had much experience with those under the age of twenty outside of Cadmus.”

                  “Hey!” Conner snapped almost offensively. “What about Tim and me? Pawns?”

                  “You’re half-alien and Tim is Batman’s ward. Neither of you can be considered normal, let alone children.”

                  “… I pity whoever that manages to push your buttons.” Conner said flatly.

                  “I need material on how children act without supervision. Anyone below the age of twenty should have a similar mindset or view of adults.”

                  “… Shouldn’t you know already? The titans mentioned about a few years ago, everyone below the age of fourteen disappeared for a whole day. Even if you weren’t outside, you should’ve been able to monitor the cameras from Cadmus.” The other reasoned.

                  “The information I gathered from them differs from the two sets of information I gathered from Gotham. They don’t compute with one another.”

                  “How so?” Conner asked again.

                  “The behaviors don’t match up. The ones I encountered earlier were dependent and nearly useless, while the later ones I encounter varied from independent and a mixture of the two.”

                  “Of course not!” The clone said exasperatedly.

                  “Elaborate,” Terry said, relishing the Cadmus pattern the two shared.

                  “Well… they’re humans, they’re not all predictable. Sure there are those who fall into categories and whatever, but for the most part, you can’t just group them off that easily…” He paused for a second. “So… Beyond, are they treating you differently that you need more research materials?”

                  “You said I shouldn’t and couldn’t simply class them off into categories, but they shared a similar trait that made it classable.”

                  “Let’s hear it then.” Conner said brightly.

                  Terry wasn’t exactly sure why the other was so cheery, but he wouldn’t bother with it now. “Three groups, upper-class, middleclass and girls,” he started. “The upper-class students seem to be irritated with me at first, but then later attempted to befriend me. Then later returned to loathing me by name calling and destroying my property. The middleclass students were mostly employee students from Wayne Tech. They mostly stare and keep to themselves… I can’t place what expression that is on their faces though.”

                  “And the girls?” Conner asked almost in amusement.

                  “While the upper class students never gone beyond destroying my property, the girls been attempting to tackle me in the halls every so often.” He concluded.

                  “… Beyond, do you know what’s your standing in that school?” Conner asked.

                  “I’ve calculated the mistakes and corrections I made in the placement testing. My grade standings should be in the C average.”

                  “No, I meant your social standings.” Conner interrupted.

                  “… Social rankings?” Terry said in confusion.

                  “… Who are you and what did you do to Beyond?” He asked bluntly.

                  “Don’t be daft XIII.”

                  “Well, you’re acting too stupid to be the Beyond I know.”

                  “Are you asking me to respond to that insult?” Terry asked dryly.

                  “Your identity Beyond!” Conner sighed exasperatedly. “Do you know what it projects to these people?”

                  “… I was never given a long-term project. The most I ever had to do it pass off as an innocent bystander.”

                  Conner clicked his tongue. Terry could almost imagine the other shaking his head. “You’re the son of one of the richest man on earth!”

                  “And?” Terry drawled.

                  “You’re a little rich boy!”

                  “And what does wealth have to do with anything?”

                  “Beyond, Beyond.” Conner drawled almost playfully. “Money is everything to this world. Even Cadmus and the Justice League require money to run it.”

                  “Money is nothing more than the passing of digits.”

                  “And here is why those benefit students act the way they do with you.” He gave a brief pause. “Tell me again, how do they treat you?”

                  “They’re just staring.” Terry replied.

                  “What about the intent they have while staring at you? Surely you picked that up at least.”

                  “It varies, from curiosity to jealousy. They make up only a small percentage of the school.”

                  Conner cracked up laughing. “Compared to them, you’re a prince while they’re nothing more than lucky peasants.”

                  “Don’t make me laugh, I’m not a prince.” Terry said bluntly.

                  “Beyond, you’re the modern equivalent of a prince. The only reason they’re even in that school is because of your father’s generosity. That’s probably why they don’t bother you, so they can continue attending the school.”

                  “I already know they’re not a threat to me, I have looked through all the student records before attending.” Terry grounded.

                  “Then why are you talking to me at all? You’re in a position where billions would die to be in. Heck, your dad could easily screw over my pa and half of the Justice League as Bruce Wayne with the economy alone. Probably secretly buying out the companies they work at just in case he needs blackmail or leverage.”

                  “Would that be including your mother as well?” Terry commented dryly.

                  “Mother?” Conner said in confusion. “I don’t have a— Oh…” Conner started laughing. “Bart mentioned about his uncle Wally saying something about you calling Lex Luthor a Superman fan boy. Of course, neither of them knows it’s you, but I got the story from Tim too. Man, I wish I was there to hear it.” He took a moment longer to finish up his laughter before starting up again. “So why exactly are you looking into this at all? It doesn’t seem like you have any trouble dealing with any of them.”

                  “The issue does not concern the students themselves. I could easily expel them if I wanted to. What I’m interested is how to act believable around them. I don’t want Cadmus on my tail again.”

                  He could hear Conner attempting to hold back another laugh. “I suggest acting like your dad when he’s not on duty or learn by watching lots and lots of mindless TV. It’s how most of the students act in my area anyhow.”

                  “…Hmm… That would provide a good cover for that troublesome woman…” Terry muttered.

                  “So the other students didn’t do much to you, did they?”

                  “Nothing that’s remotely dangerous. I have a higher chance choking on lunch.”

                  “Lucky you, they wouldn’t dare doing anything to you because of your pa. They’d risk screwing their lives over. I didn’t have as easy of a time. I was considered _fresh meat_ to the locals.”

                  “Oh?” He could image the pout on Conner’s face as he said this.

                  “They’re like Galatea under the RSS, but still retaining that I’m going to kick your ass vibe. I was tempted to accidentally have them fall into my fist.” The super clone muttered.

                  “And break your cover for something as simple as this? Galatea probably done worse to you.” Terry felt the corners of his lips twitching up again.

                  “Hence why I just up and ditched school. I already learned what they’re teaching anyway.” Conner sighed.

                  “I’m guessing this is where your father went after you?” Terry asked.

                  “Yep, I was thinking he’d punish me since I disobeyed his orders to attend school and try to _fit in_ with the locals, but you’d never guess what he did!” He chirped.

                  “He gave you a heart-felt speech and said you’re forgiven.” Terry drawled.

                  “Close! He forgave me and then gave me a dog!”

                  “… A dog…” Terry’s brows knitted together. “Are you sure he wasn’t exposed to red Kryptonite prior to giving you that?”

                  Conner laughed. “How come I didn’t think of that when that happened?”

                  “Because you’re his son.” Terry said bluntly.

                  “As if your father is as loving as mine.” He could imagine the other rolling his eyes. “When that happened, pa pulled me aside and gave me a recount of his time growing up with powers and of course he gave me Krypto… HOLY SHIT! KRYPTO! I’ve been neglecting him, where did he run off to?”

                  “… He must’ve been on red kryptonite. You can barely take care of yourself, much less a dog.”

                  “Krypto is a Kryptonian dog. He can take care of himself.” Conner said between laughing.

                  “What exactly is so funny?” Terry said in confusion.

                  “What you said about my pa is equivalent to asking if he was stoned with drugs.” Conner giggled. “Kryptonite, stoned? Get it?”

                  “And how is that hilarious?” He asked again.

                  “Ha-ha! I take back what I said about your other half of the genetics. There’s no way you could be related to the Joker this way.”

                  “… I’ll call you again when you’re a little more intelligible.” Terry said.

                  “Hehe, it’s nice talking to you again! You should call more often!” Conner chirped.

                  “And heard you went into your fits of insanity?” Terry said as a smile crept onto his face. “I’ll see about that.”

                  “I better go check on Krypto and make sure I didn’t scare him too much. Bye!” Conner said before they both hung up.

                  Terry sighed as he sunk back into his seat… Civilian life was exhausting…  

 


	11. Again and Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Civilian life continues to bore Terry to tears, but the return of his father alleviates some of his boredom... even if he has to sit through the man's love interests.

            It’s been three weeks since Bruce and Alfred pursued after Dr. Kinsolving and her kidnappers. In their absence, Tim strained to juggle his duties to the Titans and Gotham. Fortunately, he needn’t worry about the homicidal duo that once wreaked havoc in the manor in the early mornings. Talia had taken Damian before Kinsolving’s kidnap, but he wasn’t sure what happened to Terry.

            Bruce’s email went as far to tell him that Terry would be occupied until his return. While Tim was more than capable of figuring out what was occupied the boy with his nearly unrivaled detective skills, he was hindered by the lack of time he has in doing so. He would just have to take Bruce’s word for now until he returned.

            Yet, on his next visit to the titans he heard Beyond’s name mentioned quite a few times. When he asked, all hands pointed towards Conner who was rambled giddily. He was finally over his bout of paranoid insanity.

            “Conner?” Bart repeated as he button mashed the controller with his tongue sticking out. “I think he’s on the roof with Krypto—YAHOO!”

            The screen flashed player one wins as the green changeling groaned.

             Bart dropped the control as he went through his victory dance. “In your face Garfield!”

            “REMATCH! Tim distracted us!” The changeling argued.

            “Ha! I still kicked your sorry butt with Tim talking to us!” Bart said shaking his red covered behind at Garfield.

            Tim shook his head in amusement as he left the two to their games. With all his patrol work, he couldn’t indulge himself in such luxuries. He was hoping to catch up with his lost hours of sleep, but the mention of Terry caught his curiosity. With a quick trek up the roof, he found Conner seated at the edge with Krypto by his side.

            “Hey Tim!” Conner greeted with a grin as he glanced back, he must’ve heard the door.

            “Not going to run from me this time?” Tim joked as he walked over and plopped down next to him at the edge.

            “Beyond said I’m off the hook this time.” He said brightly as he scratched Krypto’s ears.

            “You spoke with him?” Tim asked.

            “Yeah… Surprisingly, he was the one that called to tell me he’s not going to.”

            “… He called?” Tim said in surprise. “How did he get your number?”

            Conner grinned. “He’s Beyond. Nothing can elude him for long.”

            “… I don’t get you.” Tim murmured as he stared at the setting sun.

            “What do you mean?” Conner asked curiously.

            “You’re terrified to death of what he can do to you… but at the same time, you trust him blindly.”

            “It’s not blindly.” He countered gently. Tim glanced at him at the corner of his eye. “It’s more of a mutual agreement between us.”

            “Mutual agreement?”

            Conner snorted. “I’m not stupid Tim, I know when he’s using me.”

            “If you know, then why—”

            “It’s a mutual agreement.” He repeated. “I have the strength and brawn and he has the tactical mind and training. A give-take sort of thing you know.”

            Tim remained quiet as Conner continued.

            “In Cadmus, the first thing that greeted me when I woke up was Galatea driving a fist into my head with enough force to kill any normal person. The scientists, technicians, whoever that was on Project XIII only cared if I was successful or not. Beyond knew who I was the instant he saw me in the cafeteria … But he was…” He trailed off.

            “He was?” Tim encouraged him gently.

            “I wouldn’t use the word _caring_ to describe him, but that is probably the best way I can say it. Knowing him, he probably has over a hundred different ways to make me a slave to his every word.”

            “Kinky much?” Tim joked, but Conner didn’t laugh.

            “He could have done it, but he didn’t.” He muttered. “When we broke out of Cadmus, he could have framed me up and left me there while he ran. Instead, he planned for both of us to leave. And when we separated, he directed me to Metropolis to pa, who could do something to keep me out of Cadmus’s reach.”

            “… It doesn’t seem like he got much from how you’re putting it.”

            Conner laughed. “No, he got exactly what he wanted.”

            “How?” Tim frowned.

            “I’m the first and _only_ successful Superman clone and the last of the sentient projects.” He chirped. “I’m supposed to be part of their arsenal against the Justice League, but since we ran, you can imagine the chaos.”

            “So… what does Terry do in Cadmus, that he needs you for them to prioritize your escape over his? You called him Beyond, but Lex Luthor and the Green Lantern referred to him as the Voice.”

            Conner shrugged. “Reconnaissance, cover ups, detective work, shadow advisor take your pick. He’s not really a field operative. Even Galatea had to take orders from him at some point… My guess is that he’s probably one of the older projects, considering he ages normally.”

            “… What can’t this kid do?” Tim asked after a moment of silence, with how Conner praised and respected the strange little kid it was hard to believe such a person exists.

            “For one thing, he can’t handle being in school and attacked by fan girls.” Conner chuckled.

             “What?” Tim did a double take.

            “I guess you’ve been too busy to talk with him huh?” He snickered. “He’s been attending school the past few weeks. Apparently, his dad signed him up before he left.”

            “So that’s why.” Tim murmured when he realized why Bruce told him not to worry over the other boy. Even so, a grin spread across his face. “Fan girls you say?”

            Conner cracked up laughing before repeating the conversation he had with Beyond days earlier.

o.o.o.o.o

            “Mr. Wayne!” Sasha said in surprise when she answered the door. She hadn’t expected the man to return after he disappeared for so many weeks. Especially, not with him standing and walking as if he was never wheelchair bound.

            “Sasha.” He greeted as he stepped through the door.

            Before his feet touched the ground, she quickly slipped into a stance and attacked. Bruce caught her wrist easily and twisted her arm. She sidestepped in an attempt to twist herself out of his hold, but he forced her into an arm-lock and pinned her to the ground. With practiced ease, he grabbed her other arm and locked it in place with the other restricting all movement. The conflict was over in the matter of seconds.

            “Mr. Wayne.” She greeted him again breathlessly and explained. “I didn’t see Alfred.”

            “He’s taking some time off.” He replied as he released her and walked into the manor. “My method of rehabilitation was too much for his heart.”

            “I see.” She murmured.

            “How is Terry?” He asked as they walked through the halls.

            “To be blunt sir, I don’t believe that child is yours.” She said.

            “Hmm…”

            “… You don’t seem… surprised?” She continued.

            “How has he been?” He asked.

            Sasha clenched her jaw at the question before stiffly answering. “Maybe you should see for yourself.”

            Bruce raised a brow as she led him to Tim’s room. He could hear the noise blaring out of the room when they turned the corner. He half expected the source of the noise to be news, but to his surprise, it contained corny dialogue and upbeat background music. It was far from anything he’d imagined Terry watching. Taking a quick stride to the door, he spotted the boy seated at the bed with the phone at his shoulder, a remote in his hand and another hand in the bag of snacks.

            “… Terry?” Bruce’s voice caught the boy’s attention despite the rapt concentration he had on the screen.

            “I’ll call you back later.” He said to the phone before tossing it aside. He dropped the remote and snacks on the bed. “Dad!” He greeted cheerily with a hint of accent still lingering on his voice.

            “I see you’ve been busy while I was away.” He glanced back at the mess on Tim’s bed and the content on the flat screen.

            “Just with school and some stuff. American shows are quite peculiar.” He shrugged. “Will you be staying long? Or will you be going off on business again?”

            His plan didn’t go as he wished. Terry didn’t trust Sasha. Instead of growing attached to her, he created a wall to distance himself even further. “She knows I’m Batman, you don’t have to act around her.”

            Terry stared at him for a moment as he took in the surprised look on Sasha’s face. He dropped the smile and brushed off the crumbs he sprinkled on himself earlier to feign the consumption of unhealthy junk. “It would have been convenient if you mentioned this detail before you left.” He said bluntly.

            “I believe you would come to the conclusion that I will not be leaving you with someone that is not aware of the situation.”

            “You left ignoring my reasoning and sending me to my room.” Terry retorted.

            “And you saw fit to invade Tim’s room while I was away?” Bruce raised a brow.

            “Tim’s room is the only other room in the manor that has the equipment to pose as a child.” Terry answered easily. The other room of course, would be Damian’s room. From what Alfred said, Bruce reasoned that Terry wants to keep outsiders from touching Damian’s possessions.

            With the two speaking so seriously, Sasha could only watch in stunned silence. The boy’s behavior was extremely different compared to what she seen the past weeks. His mannerisms, his speech and even his facial expressions were nothing like the bratty child she cared for.

            “Where’s Alfred?” Terry asked when he noted the old butler was nowhere to been seen.

            “… He’s on leave.” Bruce answered.

            “For how long?” He asked. To someone raised by Cadmus, _on leave_ could mean many things. Varying from MIAs to KIAs, it was not a term he took lightly.

            “Until he feels like returning.” His father’s answer relieved him to the wellbeing of the old butler. He was only on an undetermined length of vacation, rather than six feet under ground.

            Terry was disappointed that he won’t be seeing the man anytime soon. “And the doctor?”

            He noted the look in his father’s eyes. “Dr. Kinsolving will be recovering from her ordeal with her family.” He answered before turning to leave the room. “Come to the cave after you clean the mess you made in Tim’s room.”

            The silent ‘we need to talk’ was left unspoken as Terry answered back. “Of course.” It was obvious to him. Whatever romantic connection his father had with the woman was over. While his father seemed heartbroken, Terry couldn’t help but to be pleased that he has returned to his physical peak. Though, it was questionable to what the man did to recover as such an unimaginable rate.

            “Terry.” Sasha spoke up the first time since the father and son started conversing.

            “Miss Bordeaux.” He greeted politely. “Please excuse my behavior for the past weeks, had I known earlier, we would not have gone through this façade. The homework for the academy is already completed if you’re here to inquire on the matter. Questions one, thirteen and twenty-one are purposely incorrect.” He said as he grabbed a small hand held vacuum he hid in Tim’s room.

            “All this time… you’ve been acting?” She said in disbelief.

            “Yes.” Terry answered bluntly. “If there is nothing more Miss Bordeaux, I need to clean Tim’s room before seeing what dad wants.”

            “… And the mornings?” She asked weakly.

            “I’ll be at the dining room at seven am. There’s no need to retrieve me from my room. I’ll wake up on my own.”

            With that, Sasha was lost for words as she left Terry to his cleaning. This revelation was just too much for her. Her opinion of the boy changed completely. She withdraws her comment from weeks earlier. This boy was definitely Bruce’s son.

o.o.o.o.o

            An hour later, Terry was down at the cave, prepared to face an evaluation of his performance during his father’s absence. Compliments or scolding, he was ready for either. He was aware there was a miscommunication in the orders from his father, but he should have prepared for it just the same. What he didn’t expect was a heartfelt apology.

            “I’m sorry.” Bruce said when he stopped next to him.

            “What for?” Terry was confused.

            “For putting you through the discomfort of hiding yourself when I promised you had sanctuary.” He answered.

            “…” Terry said nothing. He wasn’t sure how to respond.

            Noting his pseudo son’s silence, Bruce opted for a change in subject. Unlike Alfred, he had trouble dealing with children. Dick and Jason were the primary examples as Tim was already a teenager when he adopted him.

            “I saw your progress report from the academy… Any reason to why you’re purposely doing so poorly when we’re both aware that you’re more than capable to excel in these classes?”

            This was a topic Terry was more comfortable with. “Not many people know Bruce Wayne is Batman. Even in Cadmus, your identity is kept secret for the most part. However, if they were to suddenly hear Bruce Wayne having a prodigal child in his care, questions would arise and I’m not looking forward to being in the lime-light for them to fight me.”

            “You know I won’t let them take you back.” Bruce noted seriously.

            “That doesn’t mean they can’t.” Terry reasoned.

            “… You don’t feel safe here.” Bruce concluded.

            “…” Terry became quiet again.

            Bruce took a deep breath as he tried to find the right words to deal with this situation. Terry was not like his Robins. If they were bothered by something, they would tell him. Terry on the other hand was raised and taught by Cadmus, protocols and whatnots were ingrained into his mind. Speaking about his needs was not likely on the priority list. What he needed was a normal childhood, which was something Bruce could not offer, but at the same time, no one else was capable of handling him any other way.

            “Terry, we already had one misunderstanding.” Bruce started.

            “And having another would be counter productive.” Terry finished.

            “I’m glad you’re aware of that.” His father gave a wry grin. He found the boy relaxing considerably more when he smiled from the last few times he spoke with him. “But I did tell you that you can tell me anything if you don’t feel comfortable.”

            “… I remember.” He said quietly.

            “Why don’t you feel safe here then?” Bruce asked patiently.  

            “…It’s not really here that I feel unsafe…” He started slowly, not looking away from Bruce as he spoke. He studied the man’s reactions with every word he dared to utter. “I don’t want to be left alone.”

            The words ‘you’re not alone’ was left unspoken by the two. They both know he wasn’t left unattended. However, at the same time that was how he felt.

            “… Can I help you with your patrols?” He decided to ask after seeing there were no looks of disapproval from the man.

            “Terry.” Bruce started but the boy quickly interrupted.

            “I’m not talking about going out into Gotham at night with you like Robin. I want to help you in the cave with analysis and detective work.” He said before adding an after thought. “Civilian life lacks challenges.”

            Bruce paused for a moment to digest his words, if he was a lesser man. He would have laughed at Terry’s confession. The boy was bored. He needed something to occupy his time more so than a boring school life. While he still felt a level of discomfort at the manor, it wasn’t because he was afraid that Bruce can’t protect him, he was afraid of being left behind. He needed to do something to reassure the boy and at the same time give him some semblance of normal life.

            “I understand if you don’t trust me to these duties.” Terry spoke again when his father was silent.

            “No, it’s not that.” Bruce interrupted at the boy’s quick assumptions. “If you’re bored, I could give you something to do. I’m glad you told me.” Terry felt his heart jump, he wasn’t sure why, but he felt content at that comment. “But let’s wait until tomorrow night. There’s something I would like to do with you tomorrow.”

            Terry looked at him with puzzlement. “Tomorrow?”

            “You don’t have school tomorrow right?” Bruce asked.

            Terry shook his head. “It’s a Saturday. Nothing special is going on at the academy this weekend.”

            “Then off to bed.” Bruce said as he got up.

            “Will you be patrolling for tonight?” Terry asked as his father placed a hand on his shoulder and turned him towards the stairs.

            “Who’s handling the patrol right now?” Bruce asked.

            “Nightwing, he gave Robin the night off and told him to rest at the Titan’s tower.” Terry answered reflexively.

            “I’ll patrol later.” He said before walking up the stairs with Terry. He could trust Dick with Gotham for a few more hours. From the records he saw on the computer, his wards and Oracle have been managing the city quite well in his absence. There was some minor hindsight on some matters, but he could deal with it later. For now, his attention was for the newest member of the family.

o.o.o.o.o

            It was late morning when she decided to pay a visit to the Wayne Manor. She heard Bruce Wayne was injured a while back and that usually meant Batman was injured. With his lack of appearance as the cape crusader the last few weeks it was becoming worrisome. She easily bypassed the bodyguard walking about the grounds.

            With a graceful flip and twist into the air, she jumped from tree to tree using a whip as her aide to swing. It took her ten minutes to avoid the security cameras and slink about the shadows before she finally reached the manor. When she got there a ball flew past her vision. Following the object, she was met with the most unexpected sight. A little boy, not even out of primary school, was running about the grounds trying to catch the baseball before returning the ball with his own throw. And receiving on the other side was none other than Bruce Wayne.

            She watched in puzzlement, wondering if she was high on catnip. Part of her wanted to go out and check to see if this was a dream, but the other half decided it was probably better for her to return home and go to bed. Bruce and this child looked almost… if she daresay, normal. She shook her head as she turned her heel and left the property. Bruce seemed well, if not a bit odd. Had she stayed longer, she would have heard the exchange of words between Bruce and the boy.

            “… I don’t see how this is amusing.” Terry commented as he caught the ball one last time and tossed it back to his father.

            “Neither do I.” Bruce replied as he caught the ball. He tried making the catch and throw game interesting by making it challenging for Terry to catch and in turn Terry do the same. But once the two gotten used to judging the distance and power of the throws, it lost its initial allure.

            It was an attempt at normal life. Since his attempt the night before failed miserably with the bedtime story. Terry was more than familiar with the common stories from studying literature and culture for his investigations for Cadmus. When he suggested Terry to choose the stories he wanted to hear, they were all textbooks. Not the least bit interesting for most people.

            “Can I try physical conditioning?” Terry asked as he patted his clothes clean of dirt and grass.

            “Nothing too strenuous.” Bruce added as they walked back into the house.

            “I’m too young to be handling weights anyway.” Terry reasoned.

            “But you can try tumbling and other exercises.” Bruce continued.

            Terry gave a shrug before his father’s lips twitch up. He ruffled his hair and placed a hand on his shoulder. The boy blinked in surprise as he glanced up at the older man. A hesitant grin returned.

o.o.o.o.o

            Weeks later, Terry was often found sitting at the bat-computer, monitoring his father and Sasha’s patrols around Gotham. Nightwing returned to caring for his own city while Tim returned to the Titans’ active roster. Gotham was left in the hands of Batman and Oracle to manage their respective sectors.

             As of now, they were still working on a live video feed to link back to the cave via the cowl, but they only managed static and sound, rather than a solid connection. Though it was likely more convenient for Batman as Terry noticed a small blossoming relationship between his father and Sasha. He doesn’t approve of the relationship with the woman, but he knew better than to voice his opinion on the matter.

             Sasha was only a bodyguard. Her skills were mediocre, barely passable compared to what many others. If worse comes to worse, his father would have to protect her instead of her holding out on her own. There were few women among the list that could how their own in a fight and pity none of them were suitable for his father.

             He shook his head before grabbing his mug of hot chocolate and sipping its warmth. His father normally stayed out late on his patrols and the cave was too cold for comfort. It would have been nice if Alfred was back, the old butler would make him hot soup and something to eat while he worked. He set the drink aside before he returned to tinkering with a camera in one of the spare cowls.

             As he worked on the cowl, he felt a wave of drowsiness hit him. Glancing at the clock, it was already four in the morning. He gave a yawn and tried to return to tinkering, but his eyes slowly drifted close before he slumped over the controls in a quiet snore.

o.o.o.o.o

            “We’re going back now.” Batman said into his mouthpiece as he and Sasha stopped a short distance from the Batmobile. “Voice?” He frowned when there was no response. “Voice?”

            “Zzz…” He heard the soft breathing on the other side.

            “Is something wrong?” Sasha asked.

            “Nothing, he just fell asleep.” He replied before the disguise mechanism retreated and the Batmobile opened for them to jump in.

            “Well, it’s nearly five in the morning, I’m surprised he lasted this long every night.” Sasha said as she strapped herself in.

            Batman said nothing as he started the drive back home. He kept forgetting Terry was still a child, and a child’s physical needs differ greatly from an adult. He would have to implement a bedtime for the boy or he would end up exhausting himself or worse, get sick. When they returned, Terry was still asleep at the computer; even the roar of the Batmobile wasn’t enough to wake him.

            “Terry wake up.” Bruce said as he shook the boy’s shoulder gently. “Come on, you’ll sleep better in your bed.” But the boy didn’t wake. A frown crossed his face. Something didn’t feel right.

            “Why don’t we just carrying him back to bed? The poor kid’s exhausted.” Sasha said when she came back from changing out of her costume.

            “Leave him here for now, I want to check on something.” Bruce said as he draped his cape over Terry and moved to change out of his costume.

            It took no more than a moment for him to don on his normal wear before he and Sasha went up to the manor. Everything was quiet as he expected, but something felt horribly wrong. He and Sasha made a quick check through the manor until he caught a faint scent of blood from his room. The door was open with a figure lying on the ground with a puddle of blood around it.

            “Vesper.” He whispered in horror as he slammed the door open and lifted the woman from the ground. “Vesper! VESPER!” He shook her trying to get a response from the woman, but she was already dead.

            “OPEN UP WAYNE! WE KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE!” A loud speaker shouted from outside, searchlights crept through the windows as the sound of helicopters blared alongside it. 

            “Bruce!” Sasha shouted but he wasn’t paying attention anymore.

            The only thing he saw was the dead body of Vesper Fairchild, a former love interest. The only thing he heard was the pulsing of his own heart. And the only thought in his mind was why did this happen?

            “Bruce!” Sasha shouted again as the police came into the room armed to the teeth. They quickly ripped Vesper from his arms and cuffed him and Sasha.

            How did this happen? Why did it happen? One question after another went through his mind as he tried to come up with an answer. It was all his fault. It was his fault that she died, his fault she was targeted, and his fault for involving her.

            “Bruce!” Dick grabbed onto the bars of his cell later that morning, he must’ve rushed back to Gotham when he heard the news. Judging by the time, he was there three hours since his arrest at six. “What happened?”

            “…” He said nothing.

            “Come on! I know you didn’t do it! Just tell me what can I do to help!” Dick begged.

            Dick’s voice slowly faded as he lost himself in those questions again. It was his fault, his fault to be able to do nothing as Bruce Wayne.

            “Master Bruce.” Alfred’s voice broke through in the evening. It was twelve hours since his arrest. “I came back as soon as I heard the news from Miss Gordon and Master Dick… Are you all right?” He asked worriedly.

            “… It was my fault Alfred.” He whispered.

            “Master Bruce.” The old butler sighed sadly, but soon his voice became silent to his ears as well.

            Bruce Wayne was useless. Bruce Wayne couldn’t do anything to protect those he cared for. Bruce Wayne shouldn’t exist. An hour past midnight, Bruce Wayne had escaped his prison. He would be Bruce Wayne no longer. The man was not worth living.

            He was vengeance, he was the night, he was Batman.

            By the time he returned to the manor and avoided all the police situated on the property, a third of the night was already over.  It wasn’t until he saw the small figure at the computer that he’d even remember that his newest son was amidst this whole mess.

            “Terry.” His voice echoed in the cave.

            “Hmm?” The boy sat up rubbing his eye, trying to shake off the cobwebs of sleep. “Oh, you’re back!” He said almost happily. “I must have dozed off…” He frowned at his own comment before shaking his head. “Where’s Miss Bordeaux?”

            “Watch the news.” Bruce said simply before turning his heel to leave.

            Terry looked puzzled for a moment before he quickly turned on a news station on the bat-computer. The words **_Murder at Wayne Manor_** streaked across the screen as he listened to the anchorman recited what has happened during the day he apparently slept through. From the arrest to his break out just hours earlier, Terry’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the screen. It was obvious to him that his father was framed. If the man wanted to kill someone, he wouldn’t be so stupid to kill said person in his own home, much less killing with a gun. He recognized the woman Vesper Fairchild as one of his father’s past love interests. He had a full file on the woman, from where she was born to where she normally goes about. He could have easily killed the woman anywhere else.

             What bothered him the most was that he slept through everything. From training in Cadmus and his time on the streets, he was a light sleeper. Even when Bane attacked, his exhaustion resulted an eight-hour sleep at most. With that noted, he was unconscious for nearly twenty-four hours. Glancing at his cold mug of hot chocolate briefly, he took the cup towards the lab spread. There was something foul going about and he was going to make sure he left nothing unturned in his wake.

             The culprit made a severe mistake.

             He left him alive… and Terry will make him pay dearly.

             No one frames his father and gets away with it.

 


	12. Struggle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his father framed, Damian returns for vengeance and Terry gains a new ally.

            Not long after Bruce Wayne’s escape from prison, a missing child report was filed for one Terrance Wayne. The officials believed Bruce Wayne had taken the child after the murder of Vesper Fairchild and attempted to flee the country with his son. Some said he had done away with the child as he done so to Fairchild.

            Little did they know, the boy Terrance they were searching for had isolated himself in the caves below Wayne Manor. Only those with close relations to him were aware that he took refuge in the dark caves.

            Why would he do such a thing, when his absence from the public was detrimental to his father’s reputation further? The answer was simple, as Terrance Wayne, he couldn’t spend his time researching and looking into the murder case. As Terrance Wayne, he’d have to return to school and deal with the gossip and nonsense from the public. And without Bruce Wayne, there was no need for Terrance Wayne to exist.

            There were attempts made to thwart his efforts. His father tried locking him out, but the boy found his way back into the cave with some effort. Even so, his efforts could only go so far with the materials he was able to gather. Fortunately or unfortunately, the murder took place in the manor, giving him easy access to the crime scene without needing to expose himself to the public, but he had no access to the corpse of Fairchild. Even with all his computer know-how, if the information wasn’t on an electronic database, his hacking skills were useless.

            His father offered no assistance to clear his own name, Fairchild’s death affected him more so than Terry first assumed. Despite his unwillingness to clear Bruce Wayne, many others have tried talking to him—Superman, Catwoman, Batgirl—but he responded little to them. How’d Terry know they spoke with him? The radio he installed on Batman’s cowl couldn’t be removed without damaging its integrity and there weren’t any extras around, given Terry had taken the spare to experiment with the video module. And with how he designed the radio, his father couldn’t short-circuit it easily either. He wasn’t trained by the best for nothing.

            If his father wasn’t in distraught, it would make his job considerably easier. Whoever framed him must’ve known him quite well. Not only to kill someone close to him, but someone in his civilian identity. Terry would like to admit Batman held no weaknesses, but he’d be lying to himself if he actually believed it. After all, Batman was human and it was due to those weaknesses that the dark knight was born. 

            All in all, the detective work he done reached a dead end.

            Unless he could somehow go about Gotham without being seen, caught, and still mentally function after the exhausting ordeal, he was stuck. His body was not trained like Tim or Dick’s. To put it bluntly, he has no stamina to perform on the field.

            He gave an irritated sigh as he slumped back against his chair. His eyes stayed glued to the glowing screens. He ran through the information over and over again hoping to find some new lead that would help him. He was stuck and couldn’t ask for help. Dick, Tim, Oracle and even Batgirl still doubted dad. Unlike him, they were trying to convince themselves he was innocent.

            The police found Fairchild’s memoir and its content seemed to support that Bruce has the motive to kill her, but it wasn’t only just proof that Bruce Wayne had killed her, it had proof that Batman would kill her.

            It was pointless for Terry to get their help. They were convinced that Bruce was the murderer. They would hinder him more than help at this point. He needed someone that believed his father was innocent. Alfred doesn’t count. The old butler was in no shape to be running about Gotham lurking in the shadows to search for answers.

            No, he needed someone physically capable.

            He broke out of his thoughts and quickly launched two batarangs at the two throwing knives coming at his person. He rolled out of his chair as it was sliced in half. Quickly rolling to his feet, he pulled out the freeze ray and pressed the barrel into his assailant’s stomach at point blank. At the same time a cold blade pressed against the artery at the base of his neck. If either of them moved, the other would surely suffer for their actions.

            “Damian.” Terry greeted his brother calmly.

            The older boy smirked in response. “Surprised to see me, deadweight?”

            “I presume you heard the news.” Terry said bluntly.

            Damian dropped his smirk with a frown. “Who was it? Who framed father?”

            “If I told you, you would kill me right after.” He said dryly, he didn’t dare let his finger leave the trigger.

            “Tt.” The older boy clicked his tongue. “No, your death would be for the right of being father’s heir.” He lowered his sword. “What I want now is the head of the impersonator on a silver platter.”

            Terry lowered his gun cautiously as he stood. “Then we have a common objective.”

            Ironic, how the only other capable person that trusted his father’s innocence was his homicidal half-brother.To Damian, it was nonsense that father would break his own code of honor. He was convinced from the start that some imbecile had dared frame his father for something completely below him. When he heard the news of the murder, he had slipped from his mother’s watchful eyes and made his way back to the manor.

            “Master Damian!” Alfred said in surprise when he came down to the cave with a bowl of soup for Terry’s supper. “When did you return?”

            “None of your business.” The boy retorted, not breaking his attention from the pictures on the screen as Terry updated him on the matters of his investigation and what was needed in order for him to proceed further into his investigation.

            “You haven’t found the imbecile yet?” Damian snapped.

            “Would you like to do this on your own?” Terry said bluntly from where he stood.

            The old butler studied the brothers in surprise. The fact the two were within the range of one another and hadn’t tried to maim or kill each other was an amazing feat. After they finished their round of insults and retorts, Terry returned to explaining to Damian of the overview of the murder, filling in the other Wayne of what happened during his absence at the manor.

            It was a strange, but a comforting sight. Even with their disagreements, these two brothers were willing to set aside their differences to help their father. It was only temporary until their father’s name was cleared, but nonetheless they cared deeply for Bruce. Alfred shook his head with a smile before returning to the kitchens. Soup would not be filling or convenient for them to ingest now. He needed to prepare some sandwiches and clean finger foods.

o.o.o.o.o

            While the brothers were busy with their own objectives, the rest of the Bat Clan was hard at work trying to prove to themselves Bruce was innocent. Dick had gone off to stealing the autopsy report along with the miscellaneous files relating to the case for further examination. Oracle had requested a favor from Black Canary to retrieve Fairchild’s personal belongings from a secured bank vault, while Batgirl and Robin kept watch over Gotham at Batman’s absence. The man left Gotham to deal with one of the drug veins. A slight of hand in the trade was killing the local druggies.  

            Unlike Terry, they had no access to the Bat Cave and its vast equipment. Batman changed the pass codes and subsequently locked them out. The security improved drastically since their last visit, in addition to Bruce’s pass codes was also Terry’s security. The few that could manage through with ease were Damian and Alfred.  Even so, they used what they could from Oracle’s facilities.

            Batgirl opted to investigate Fairchild’s corpse for the fist imprint from her injuries. She was familiar with the human body more so than anyone she was currently working with. If Bruce truly beaten the woman, she would be able to recognize the shape of the fist left on her body—given the body hasn’t decayed beyond recognition.

            When she reached the grave, another was already on the site with a shovel at hand. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. In the darkness, she wasn’t able to make out much of the stranger, but it seemed like someone was trying to desecrate the body to destroy the evidence. She held back a growl at the fury she felt.

            She silently darted towards the stranger and sent a flying kick when she was within range. The stranger shifted his shovel to block her kick as if he expected it coming. Swiftly following the block, he rolled the shovel on his wrist as if it was a baton. He was going to smash the head of the shovel into her knee. She reached out to catch the tool before it connected, attempting to correct her stance as she went about.

            The stranger gave her no chance to regain her footing. He used the tool to shove her off balance before dropping into a low stance to propel himself at her. She could see his every move and the moves that were to follow the last, but she couldn’t react fast enough. Her training with Lady Shiva has returned her fighting abilities back to its peak, but there was still a slight time lag in her movements she couldn’t remedy just yet.

            With each block she made, he was already in the process of going through the next three in quick succession. His style was smooth with little to no fault in each move.

            _Skilled_. She thought as she tossed the shovel aside and braced herself to catch his next punch. She caught him by the wrists and subdued him, but he stepped back quickly. In that split second she was noticed what the stranger was wearing and gapped in surprise. This lapse gave him the chance to slam his fist into her jaw. She could feel the searing pain as a small fracture cracked into place. Her mind registered it as a stun-punch before she completely blacked out.

o.o.o.o.o

            Damian huffed in annoyance as he prodded the body with his foot. “Geez, and here I thought she was a good fighter.”

            “If you’re quite done Damian, we have a grave to desecrate and a corpse to inspect.” A dry voice came through the headset he was using.

            The older Wayne kicked the shovel aside. “This is servant work!” He hissed into the mouthpiece.

            “If you hadn’t knocked out Batgirl, she would have done it for you. It seems like she as going to examine the body.”

            “Does she think she can replace father?” Damian growled.

            “She’s only a replacement for the previous Batgirl that worked for father. Her files noted that she was formerly in the League of Assassins.”

            Damian frowned. “I don’t recall seeing her.”

            “She deserted.” Terry corrected. “The file’s not completely clear on the reason, but it seems that she failed on her first assignment.”

            “Useless servant.” The little prince grumbled as he dug the grave. It was a good half hour before he reached the coffin and hauled the body out. “The corpse looks about a week or two old, the decaying process started already.”

            He was not one to listen to those he believed are beneath him, but Terry was an equal. They were both Batman’s sons and they excelled in their own ways. Damian excelled in combat and assessing physical conditioning. He was searching for the imposter’s handiwork. The best way to learn about the enemy was to see how they worked. His analysis of the body would tell him more than what Terry could gather from his own observations.

            “The decaying process did a number on her body … but…” He frowned as he felt for the skeletal frame. “Multiple fractures, but not at any vital locations…”

            “Something wrong?” Terry asked when he noted his brother trailing off in a quiet mumble.

            “170 cm, 50-57 kg at the most, multiple fractures… and she lasted long enough to get shot…” A smirk crossed his lips before he gave a dark laugh.

            Terry stayed silent as he waited for the other to finish laughing. It was obvious the older Wayne found something valuable to his investigation.

            “Skilled, very skilled. Whoever did this is more than familiar with the human body. This woman suffered a great deal of pain before they bothered to end her misery. None of these punches were held back, but the accuracy…” His eyes lit up in excitement, he couldn’t keep himself from laughing at his discovery.

             Whoever this imposter was, he was a skilled martial artist, very likely on par with their father’s capabilities. That discovery alone narrowed down a great deal of suspects. Terry was already drawing up profiles.

             “Enough. Come back to the cave now. I have a list of possible suspects already.” He interrupted his brother from continuing in his glee. “You can leave the corpse there. Batgirl will manage it after she wakes.”

             "Tt.” Damian glanced back at the fallen figure before racing back to the manor. Unknown to him, Batgirl had already woken.  

o.o.o.o.o

             Cassandra grunted in pain as she pushed herself off the ground, her jaw was numb. It wasn’t broken, but there was a small fracture. A stun blow, other than herself, the only other person she knew that used it is Bruce. He taught her the move when she became Batgirl, to make up for her inability to kill. She glanced up and spotted Fairchild’s corpse out in the open, almost untouched. Whoever this assailant was, he wasn’t there to destroy the evidence. He was looking for something as well.

             Regardless, she still has to look over the body herself.

             Two hours later, after she finished her inspection and reburying the corpse, she returned to Oracle’s tower to report her findings. Like Damian, she noted the brutality that was dealt to the body. However, she noted something extra that the other missed. Fairchild’s jaw has a small fracture, very much like the one she wore from her assailant’s fist. Though, what disturbed her more was the child in the League of Assassins gear and the Robin tunic.

              “What?” Tim whispered in horror. “Cassandra, is that really what you saw?”

              Dick glanced at the younger Robin. “You don’t think it’s…”

              Tim quickly moved towards the door. “It is.” he murmured. “The brat is back and if he’s anything like the last time I’ve seen him… We need to get back to the manor now!”

              “Tim!” Dick shouted pausing momentarily to talk to Barbara. “We’ll stay in radio contact.” He hurried after the younger boy. “Tim!”

Barbara adjusted her headset before turning her attention to Cassandra. “Now what was this thing about a stun blow?”

o.o.o.o.o

            “I can’t believe this.” Dick murmured as he and Tim raced down the streets in their respective vehicles. “When did he get back? I thought you sad Talia came and took him.”

            “It seems like he got away didn’t he?” Tim retorted sarcastically.

            Once they got to the area, they hid their cycles a short distance away to avoid making any more noises to alert the little brat of their coming. They opted not to go through the main door and snuck into the manor. Neither of them found the homicidal brat in their search. Chances were, the brat somehow managed to get into the cave, when they couldn’t. Before either of them managed to touch the clock, the sound of a safety went off. Both Tim and Dick raised their hands above their heads.

            “Master Dick, Master Tim!” The old butler sighed in relief as he lowered his shotgun. While Bruce did not favor firearms, the old butler had no qualms using one. Alfred was familiar with every piece of antique firearms in the manor. “My goodness, this is your home too. Please enter from the front door next time.”

            “Sorry Alfred.” Tim said apologetically.

            “What gave us away?” Dick asked.

            Alfred sighed as he lowered the gun. “Just my failing senses.” He said before walking out of the study.

            “Alfred, Damian’s back he’s—” Tim started.

            “I know.” Alfred answered as he walked back to the kitchen.

            “You know?” Dick said in disbelief.

            “What about Terry? He’s the one that’s—” Tim started.

            “He’s down in the cave.” Alfred answered simply as he readied a platter with a plate of sandwiches, a pitcher of juice with two glasses already filled and a plate of bite sized vegetables.

            “He managed to get in?” Dick said in surprised.

            “That’s good.” Tim murmured in a small semblance of relief, even he had trouble with the lock, if he stays down in the cave it’s less likely for Damian to—he paused in his thoughts when he noted the platter of food Alfred was preparing. “Alfred, were you planning to eat with Terry down at the cave?”

            “No, this is for Master Terry and Master Damian.” Alfred replied.

            Tim’s eyes widened. “Alfred, you have to tell me the password right now! Terry’s in danger!”

            “Nonsense.” Alfred puzzled Bruce’s wards. “I can assure you Master Terry is in no danger. However, if you insist to go down, take this down with you. Master Terry and Damian have not eaten.” He handed Tim the platter of food. “Have you two eaten yet?” Tim and Dick stared at the old butler in disbelief. “I’ll make some soup for the two of you.”

            They dragged themselves to the study when the butler ignored them and went back to preparing soup. With Alfred’s password, the two went through Bruce’s enhanced security with little difficulty. As they descended the stairs, they expected the sound of conflict, the sound of battle, but were met with neither. Instead, they heard a peaceful tapping from the direction of the bat computer and a leveled conversation.

            “Mother wouldn’t waste time with killing this woman.” Damian’s irritated voice growled out. “It’s no challenge to kill this woman whatsoever!”

            “Human by nature is easy to kill.” Terry countered calmly. “And I’m only noting it’s a possibility that your mother did it. I’m not accusing her of doing it.”

            “You have her on the top of the list.” Damian growled.

            “Only because she has the highest motive to do it.” The other continued. “She’s one of the few that knows Bruce Wayne and Batman are one and the same and the few that have the skills to break into the manor without detection.”

            Tim and Dick quietly moved towards the computer, morbidly captivated by the discussion between the two boys.

            “Even if my mother has a motive, there’s no need for her to do this personally. The security at the woman’s home is mediocre. She’s completely defenseless and weak. I could think of twenty ways to kill her without needing to touch her personally.”

            “Household products can easily do the job.” Terry quipped before he and Damian both reached behind them and grabbed the food and drinks off the tray Tim was carrying. They did so without even looking back.

            “How’d you—”

            “Why are you two even down here? Where’s the butler?” Damian interrupted before sipping his drink.

            “That’s not going to fill you. Eat.” Terry told the older boy.

            “I’m not putting such filth in my mouth.” Damian retorted

            “Eat or starve, this is no time to be picky.” Terry said as he grabbed his own drink.

            “Tt.” Damian hissed in irritation.

            “Can we help you with something?” Terry asked when Tim and Dick remained silent.

            “…The two of you are working together to clear Bruce’s name?” Tim asked.

            “No.” They answered bluntly. “We’re hunting Fairchild’s killer. What are you two looking for?”

            “We need the security tapes and—”

            “There were three blackouts the past two months. The first was month ago, the second was a week before the murder and the last was approximately a few hours before Fairchild’s death. The security videos were modified, you won’t find anything from them.” Terry reported mechanically.

            “…So another dead end.” Dick murmured as he crossed his arms.

            “No, it’s not.” Tim interrupted. “It means someone is trying to cover their tracks. Bruce wouldn’t need to cover his tracks. He could outright just delete them and put up a fake record.”

            “Take your discoveries somewhere else! You’re bothering us!” Damian snapped.

            “Listen you brat! We’re all trying to help Bruce!” Dick argued.

            “Help? HELP?” Damian snarled. “The two of you can’t even decide whether or not to trust him. What help are you to him?”

            “We’re trying to prove him innocent!” Dick argued.

            “You’re doing a wonderful job.” Damian hissed.

            “What are the two of you doing then? All I’ve heard since we came down is the two of you arguing on how many ways you can kill Vesper Fairchild.” Dick retorted.

            “And what have you done you worthless replacement!” Damian snapped.

            The swivel of the chair stopped the two’s arguments. Terry stood up to take the tray from Tim’s hands.

            “Where are you going dead weight?” Damian growled.

            “I’m not sticking around for the crossfire.” Terry responded bluntly.

            “But you haven’t even narrowed the list!” The older boy stomped.

            “I also don’t want to work with holes or blood at the computer. We don’t need the cave to narrow the suspects anyhow.” He glanced over to Tim. “I suppose you want to use the cave. Do you need anything from Alfred, since I’m going up already?”

            Tim seemed startled by Terry’s offer, but quickly replied. “If you can ask him to get a map of the cave.”

            “I’ll inform him.” Terry said before walking towards the stairs.

            “Deadweight!” Damian growled as he chased after the younger boy.

            The older duo could only watch in bafflement at the lack of violence between the two brothers.

            “Dick…”

            “Yeah Tim?”

            “Tell me I’m awake.”

            Dick smacked him upside the head.

            “Ow! What was that for?” Tim rubbed the back of his head.

            “You’re awake.” The other said bluntly.

            Tim grumbled. “Yeah thanks.” He muttered glancing at the spot the two brothers was standing previously. “I still can’t believe they’re being civil.”

            Dick sighed as he crossed his arms and looked up at the stairs. “I guess in their own way, they care for Bruce.”

            “At least enough to hold a temporary truce/” Tim added as he recalled the incident with Bane. He shook his head at the though. “Let’s get started.” He moved to the computer before noticing Terry left his flash drive plugged to the system.

o.o.o.o.o

            “We were there first! Why the hell are you letting them use it?” Damian grabbed the younger boy’s arm after he set down the tray of food and drinks.

            “They’re trying to help dad.” Terry reasoned as he shrugged out of the older boy’s grasp.

            “They think father did it!”

            “They’re trying to convince themselves he didn’t.” He quipped. “It’s more favorable for dad if they’re on his side.”

            “What about our manhunt? We’re trying to help father!” Damian snapped.

            “We can probably find and catch the perpetrator, but we can’t use him to clear dad’s name. Don’t forget, we’re still children to the public eye.” He grabbed another sandwich, munching as he browsed the many bookshelves in the study.

            “Tt.” Damian turned away from Terry angrily. “How do you suppose we continue with the list without the data base?”

            Terry plucked a tome from the shelf before casually flipping through its pages, careful not to get breadcrumbs or stains on them. “It’d be silly for us to continue right now.”

            “What?” The older Wayne hissed. “Why?”

            “To put it simply, the manor and the cave isn’t as secured as we wished.” Terry commented as he finished the sandwich and reached for another.

            “The birdbrains?” Damian questioned.

            “No.” Terry turned the page, not bothering to look up as he skim through the contents. “There’s a security breech at the cave. Whoever framed dad has access to the cave. Which means we could well have been monitored the whole time.”

            A thought clicked in Damian’s mind. “You purposely put my mother’s name on top of the list!”

            “I’m not ruling out she couldn’t have done it, but the reasons for her to do it gains very little for this endeavor.”

            “And the reason you left the cave to those two?”

            “Is for them to find the fox hole our perpetrator is using.” Terry answered.

            Damian snorted. “You can’t find it yourself?”

            “I don’t have the physique for it. And I doubt you want to, you call it servant work.”

            Damian smirked in amusement. His brother was devious, using the birdbrains the way he did. But even so, they were wasting time with this security matter. He wanted the imbecile’s head on a silver platter. Just as he was about to order Terry to return to his work, a movement caught his attention from the corner of his eyes. He strode briskly towards the large glass panel windows before his eyes swept over the grounds. A frown marred his face as he unlatched the windows.

            “Something wrong?” Terry glanced up from his tome.

            “None of your business deadweight.” Damian snapped as he jumped onto the windowsill. “Stay here.” He jumped out.

            Terry quietly closed the tome before setting it onto the nearby desk. He stealthily slinked towards the open window and kept to the shadows as he done so. Carefully, he glanced out, outside were two men donned in the League of Assassins’ uniform. Damian was talking with them heatedly. The two bowed to him before he hissed in irritation and walked off. They followed quickly after.

            No doubt, they came to retrieve Damian. Terry watched a little longer before he closed the windows and pulled the latches back in place. He was on his own again, but Damian’s brief visit helped him immensely. He has an idea to who might’ve done it, but he was still waiting on for Tim and the others to figure their own problems before he could bring the matter to them.

            The clock shifted and Alfred exited from the cave’s entrance. “Master Terry, where is Master Damian?” The old butler looked about for the other Wayne.

            “He left a moment ago. I don’t believe he’ll be returning anytime soon.” He replied.

            “Oh, I see.” Alfred sighed sadly. “I’m heading to the old barn on the estate, would you like to accompany me?”

            Terry raised a brow. “Did they manage to find an opening?”

            “We believe so.” Alfred answered.

            “Who’s managing the cave?”

            “Master Tim.”

            Terry nodded. Tim has exceptional detective skills. He could investigate the opening while the other manages the cave. “All right, let’s go.”

            Not long after, Nightwing and Batgirl performed a reenactment of the night of the murder. Dick and Alfred forbid Terry from participating. He wasn’t offended by their request. He was fully aware that they still saw him as a child. If they knew what he was in charge of in Cadmus they’d think otherwise. He has a feeling that Tim would have let him stayed. No matter, they don’t need him to lead. They would reach their conclusion soon. He’ll pass the time tinkering with the Batsuit.

o.o.o.o.o

            Months after Nightwing and the others concluded Bruce was innocent, they continued on their search for the perpetrator. Terry showed what information he gathered with Damian. However, he kept secret to who the perpetrator was. The man was obsessively detailed and careful with his work. There was very little any of them could do to turn the man in. He found no need to alert the man before his dealt with the matter. It was torturous. This waiting, this lack of progress. By then, the first snow of the year started.

            “Master Terry?” Alfred’s voice echoed in the cave.

            “Yes Alfred?” He glanced away from the screen briefly.

            “I’m heading into the city for an appointment. Would you like to accompany me for a breath of fresh air and stretch your legs a bit?”

            Terry tilted his head curiously. Considering he was technically missing from the public, it was strange for the elderly man to suggest him to go into public view. “Appointment?”

            “Normally, Master Bruce attends this appointment, but I’m not certain if he will this year.”

            And appointment dad normally attends? It peaked Terry’s curiosity. “Where is the appointment?”

            “Crime Alley, sir.”

            Crime Alley, he pondered. What significance did the place hold for his dad? There was nothing specific for Batman. There were no epic fights or conflicts with his gallery there…but Alfred wasn’t talking about Batman was he?

            “Do I need a change of clothing?” Terry asked.

            Alfred smiled kindly. “Just dress warmly sir.”

            The two bundled up. Terry wore a scarf and a cap to hide his face. And with a quick trip to the florist, Alfred bought a pair of roses. The drive to the city was quiet with Terry seated in the back with the roses in his arms.

            A year or two earlier, a rose meant nothing to him. It was a useless plant latched with a sentimental history. But after going through what he had, he couldn’t help but remember Poison Ivy. Maybe it was the brief two months he spent in her care, or maybe it was because they were going to tribute these roses to dad’s parent’s death site. He shook his head. These thoughts were pointless.

            Alfred found parking with ease and they were on their way, but when they reached the alleyway an obstacle appeared. A large black hound was rummaging through the garbage. He glanced up and growled when they approached.  

            “Oh dear.” Alfred murmured and placed out an arm out to push Terry behind him, but the boy sidestepped around him and walked forward. “Master Terry!” He protested.

            The hound growled as he pushed away from the trash bins and landed on his front two legs. Terry stopped a meter from him before pulling something from his pocket. It was a bread roll. Without a word, he tossed the bread in front of the dog. He stared suspiciously at Terry for a moment, debating whether or not he should take the offered food. Hunger won out, he stopped growling and decided to eat the offered meal.

            Alfred sighed in relief before walking quickly to Terry and rested his hands on his shoulder. “Good heavens Master Terry, that was dangerous! Were you trying to give me a fright?” He paused. “Why was there a bread roll in your clothing?”

            Terry flushed at the question. The bread was a precaution. In case something happened, he didn’t have to immediately worry for food. He couldn’t help it. It was leftover from when he was living on the streets. “I apologize.” He murmured.

            The old butler sighed again before setting the roses on the ground. Once he stood up, he folded his hands in front of him and spoke softly. “It’s been a while Madam, Sir.”

            Terry glanced at the old butler wondering whom he was talking to before he realized the man was speaking to the deceased Martha and Thomas Wayne.

            “I’m sorry that Master Bruce is not able to visit you this year, but I brought his son to visit instead.” Alfred smiled when Terry glanced up at him. “I think you would’ve loved to meet him personally.”

            Terry found the corners of his lips twitch up at his words as he turned his attention back to the roses. “… Hello… g…grandma, grandpa…”

            Alfred patted his shoulder fondly before they turned to leave. Unfortunately, they weren’t leaving without running into trouble.

            “Give me all your money and no one gets hurt!” A thug said roughly with a knife pointed at them as he approached.

            “Take it easy sir.” Alfred raised his hands defensively.

            “Give me all your money!” He snapped out before his eyes trailed down to Terry.

            The boy shifted backwards as he reached out for him, but the growl from behind made him look up. The black hound charged past the duo and latched his sharp canines onto the thug’s arm. The man gave a loud scream before stabbing the dog. The hound whimpered as he released his arm. Alfred hastily disarmed the thug and dropped kicked the man.

            “That is no way for a gentleman to act.” He scolded the thug as he tied his arms. A good butler always has spare rope on hand.

            “Alfred!” Terry cried out. The old butler glanced up and spotted his young charge at the hound’s side. His hands were pressed against the wound to stop the bleeding.

            “Oh dear.” He murmured as he hurried over to inspect the wound. “This doesn’t look good.”

            The dog’s breathes uneasily as he heaves for air. 

            “Can you treat him?” Terry asked.

            Alfred was startled by his request but nodded. “Yes, but not here. We better hurry back to the manor.”

            With some trouble, the duo managed to drag the dog into the car, making a bloody mess as they went. However, neither of them worried about the mess as they sped back to the manor to treat the canine. Alfred did quick work stitching the dog’s wound, disinfecting and bandaging it as he would with any injuries the family might’ve gotten. Normally, he wouldn’t be treating animals, but seeing how desperate his young charge looked, he made an exception.

            Throughout the whole treatment, Terry let only a brief moment to wash his hands of the dog’s blood. Otherwise he stayed by the injured hound. He ran his hand over the dog’s head, scratching its ear every now and then as it whimpered from the pain, but surprisingly he stayed very still for Alfred to finish. It was almost as if the dog had these treatments before.

            “Do you know this dog Master Terry?” Alfred asked as he finished his stitching and started rubbing ointment carefully around the wound.

            “No.” Terry answered truthfully.

            “He’s a stray.” Alfred continued.

            “…” Terry paused in scratching the dog’s ears. The dog looked up from under his hand and whimpered before rubbing his face against the boy’s hand.

            “Hmm…” Alfred hummed as he pulls out the roll of bandages. “We may have to take him to the vet later and get him some shots.”

            Terry glanced up at him in surprise.

            Alfred smiled gently. “You would like to keep him, don’t you?”

            “What about dad?” Terry asked quietly.

            “I’m sure you can convince him to let you keep the dog.” Alfred said. “What do you want to name him?”

            The dog stared up at him before resting his head on his arms.

            “… Ace.” He said quietly with a smile.

 


	13. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Bruce proven innocent, the family returns to their civilian lives and night duties... along with their own personal projects.

            It had been months since his dad was accused of murder, months since he and his brother joined to hunt the culprit and months since Nightwing and the others realized his dad was innocent. Yet, they were able to do nothing. They could prove Batman was innocent, but not Bruce Wayne. Until his dad’s name was cleared, he refused to return to school. He rather use the time to monitor Gotham and perfecting the video link system on the cowl.

            Ace glanced up when he heard the door opening on the upper level. “Master Terry, you have a guest.”

            “I know. I’ll be up in a moment.” He answered before clearing his work area. He saw XIII on the monitors long before he even reached the door with his dog. “Ace.” He called to the black hound before ascending the stairs to the manor. The dog followed faithfully behind him.

            Instead of going to the living room or the dining room, he walked straight out to the front of the manor. XIII sat at the steps with his dog running about happily. His fellow Cadmus project had a mild case of claustrophobia.

            “If he does his business on the grounds, you’re cleaning it.” Terry said bluntly as he stopped a feet away from the other.

            Conner chuckled and turned to him. “I’m not the only one with a dog here.”

            “Ace is trained to do his business in a specific location.” He drawled. “What are you doing here XIII?”

            “I thought I’d pay you a visit.” The super clone chirped. “It’s been a while since I saw you and Tim. I heard you got a dog too.”

            Terry raised a brow at the other’s response. “Is that all you came here for?”

            “Hehe.” He laughed sheepishly. “You caught me. I missed having either of your around. It’s just not the same with the other Titans.”

            “Hmph, you never change on this aspect. Always dependent on others.” Terry said as he watched Krypto zoom towards Ace, trying to engage him in a playful banter.

            “Is that really a bad thing?” Conner asked, grinning as he noticed Ace ignoring Krypto’s attempt to lure him into playing.

            “You have too much time on your hands.” Terry murmured.

            “And you never seem to have any.” Conner retorted.

            “Did you come to lecture me?”

            Ace finally snapped when Krypto tugged at his tail. He dropped into a low stance with a growl.

            “No.” Conner said in amusement.

            Krypto barked happily as he jumped away from Ace with his tongue lolling out.

            “You trust too easily.” The young boy commented as he watched Ace charge at Krypto.

            “You don’t trust enough.” The super clone continued as Krypto dodged Ace’s attack and pounced at him playfully.

            “Trust is a fickle thing.” Terry said as Ace threw off the other dog and ran off.

            “Not if you find someone that’s worth trusting.” Conner grinned. Krypto chased after Ace gleefully.

            “Perhaps.” Terry smirked as Ace rounded a hedge.

            “Tim’s trustworthy you know.” He continued. “You can start with him.” The white dog followed.

            “It took him weeks to believe dad didn’t kill Fairchild.” Terry snorted.

            Krypto let out a loud yelp before Conner stood up. “Krypto!”

            Ace walked out casually from the hedges, strolling back to Terry. Conner waited a moment longer before the Kryptonian dog gave a slight growl and burst out from behind the hedges. He hovered sulkily with steel nets still hanging on his body before he glided back to Conner’s side.

            “… Did you train your dog in combat?” He asked in puzzlement as he pulled the steel nets off of Krypto.

            “I didn’t need to.” The younger boy answered as Ace snorted.

            Conner raised a brow. “It’s scary how much that dog is like you.”

            Terry found himself chuckling. Conner’s blunt comments were always amusing and comforting.

o.o.o.o.o

            “…I need your help.” That one line was what everyone was waiting for. They never thought they would ever hear it from him.

            Not long after the message, Terry and Alfred left for Oracle’s Tower. It was uncomfortable for the youngest Wayne to be around such a large group, but his father needed to meet with all of them. And with Oracle’s disability, it was best to meet at her tower.

            “I still can’t believe it.” Oracle said happily as Batman stepped out of the Batmobile. She and the others quickly greeted the man with their own excitement at his returned.

            If given a chance, Terry would much prefer to stay at Wayne manor and not stand on the sidelines watching the happy reunion. It made him uncomfortable. The only comfort he had was Alfred standing beside him. At least until she spoke with him.

            “You don’t want to be here.” Batgirl commented.

            “Miss Cassandra.” Alfred greeted before the girl gave him a warm smile, but she wasn’t distracted easily.

            “You were the one that trusted him all this time.” She said quietly.

            Terry glanced at her silently, what did she want?

            “You should talk to him. You’re apart of this just as much as us, if not more.” She was trying to include him.

            He glanced at Alfred questionably, unsure how to respond to the girl. The old butler smiled in response. After a short internal debate, he glanced back at the girl before slowly walking towards where his father and the others were.

            “Thank you Miss Cassandra.” Alfred said gratefully to the girl as they watched Oracle and the others greet Terry and engaging him into conversation.

            “I just thought he could use a little help like how Barbara helped me.” She answered truthfully. “Compared to the first time I’ve seen him, he’s relaxed a great deal. With some more time, I think he’ll eventually get used to it.”

            “I truly hope so.” Alfred replied.

            The meeting was prompt with everyone divulging and pooling all the information they gathered in Batman’s absence. Nothing they did could compare to Batman’s first hand experience. With only the details given by them, the man had concluded who was the culprit for this frame up. It was David Cain—Batgirl’s father. They needed to confront the man before they could go any further.

            And so, they plotted. They were going to lure Cain out. If he wanted to hurt Bruce so badly, he would have to show his face. Batman, Robin, Nightwing and Batgirl would go out into Gotham patrolling in open areas, while Oracle stayed in her tower monitoring the whole situation. Of course, she wasn’t the only one monitoring the plan’s execution. Terry was monitoring from the depths of the batcave. His new prototype was installed onto the cowl. The video feed gave him a 360-degree view of the wearer. Unfortunately, it only benefits the person monitoring, not the wearer.

            “Nothing here.” Robin reported over the group frequency.

            “Nor here.” Batgirl prompted moments later.

            Nightwing gave an exasperated sigh. “This is a wild goose chase.”

            “There’s a conflict in the northeast section.” Oracle informed the group before they quickly rushed towards the location. Batman was the first to get there and handled the situation.

            “Knife at three, pipe at seven-thirty.” Terry murmured as he watched the multiple screens.

            He was taken back to the cave via batmobile after the meeting. He didn’t want to sit on the sidelines useless. Even though the cave was broken into before, the openings have been closed the cave was safe again.

            “Cleared, still no sign of him.” Robin reported again.

            “Keep your eyes open, you never know with the likes of him.” Oracle started, but was quickly interrupted.

            “You should take your own advice.” A deep voice vibrated through.

            “Barbara!” Nightwing shouted when she screamed. A tense moment crossed the group as they listened to the conflict with their breaths held.

             At least until they heard Bruce’s reassuring voice. “I got him, Barbara’s fine.”

             There was a collective sigh of relief. Terry was not among them. “Would you like any further assistance Alfred?”

             “I don’t believe so Master Terry.” The old butler replied from the private line he had been directing for the majority of the night. The man that was in the batsuit was none other then Alfred.

             In order to lure Cain out, they decided to use Oracle as bait. Given to her difficulty in moving about, she made the perfect target for Cain to go after. Alfred had to go about Gotham disguised as Batman while Bruce stayed hidden at Oracle’s tower. The whole show of the batmobile returning to the cave and later Alfred running out was to make Cain believe Bruce had truly left Oracle undefended.

             “It seems like Alfred’s doing a great job filling in as Batman.” Tim joked over the line.

             “Hopefully, he doesn’t need to fill in for the real Batman often.” Dick murmured.

             Silently, they were all worried for Bruce’s well being. It was unnecessary. The dark knight managed the situation expertly. Anticipating Cain’s moves was the major blow to the man’s morale. It took little for Bruce to take the man down in a fight and Cain peacefully turned himself in. He confessed for all his crimes. Lex Luthor had hired him to tarnish Bruce Wayne’s name for disrupting his weapons manufacturing deals.

             It was only luck that Luthor had chosen an assassin that knew Bruce Wayne was Batman and had a grudge against him. Cain’s frame up was a test to Batman as a father figure to Batgirl, Cassandra Cain. Revenge had a very small role in the matter. Not long after turning himself in, Bruce Wayne was announced innocent and his name was cleared. Terrance’s Wayne’s existence returned to the public.

             If given a choice, Terry would have extracted vengeance from Luthor, but he had no time. His father kept a close eye on him, determined to integrate him to normal society. The following weeks were one issue after another. A lengthy lawsuit started on Sasha Bordeaux’s behalf on being unrightfully imprisoned, but before the case had a chance to reopen, Sasha died from an internal injury in prison. Both Bruce and Terry doubted her death when the report noted a non-existing family member retrieved her corpse.

             There was little the father and son could do to find Sasha. No trails were left for them to follow. Sasha was lost to them. To Terry, he would much prefer that she was dead to close off any loose ends, but he knew his father would want otherwise.

            At the lost of the bodyguard, his father hasn’t missed the fact he purposely disappeared from the public to assist him. In doing so, he missed nearly a year’s worth of schooling. Not that he needed the education. Terry could easily teach the classes himself, but that wasn’t what Bruce wanted. He wanted Terry to have some semblance of a normal life, to interact with child his age.

           Terry found himself grounded and barred from the caves for a month. He could have easily broken in, but that would have infuriated his father. This was probably the first punishment he gotten from the man. The oddest one too he might add. In Cadmus he would’ve gotten a tongue-lashing and an extra workload of menial jobs. Instead, he gotten a warm voice of concern and a long vacation.               

           This was the first time he’s given such a long break.

…

            He found himself bored after the second day.

            Alfred quickly noticed his boredom, but there was little the old butler can do to alleviate his problem. One can only explore the Wayne property so many times before it lost its appeal. Though Ace seemed to enjoy his long walks with him. Terry had gotten permission from his father to keep him shortly after the man returned from dealing with Cain.

            The grounded boy was quite certain he was going to go mad until that eventful day at the academy. He was hiding in the library when he heard the commotion outside. He peeked out to the corridor and found a familiar young man running towards him. He knew this boy for no more then a month, but he could still recall him clearly standing by Miss Ivy. From the looks of it, the boy must’ve snuck into the school.

            “Michael, over here!” He hissed out loudly before the boy caught sight of him and ran into the library.

            Terry closed the door behind him as he listened for the guards to run pass. He stayed silent as he waited for Michael to catch his breath. Once he caught his breath, his fellow No Man’s Land survivor turned to Terry wit a wry grin.

            “Fancy seeing you here. We thought you were dead or something when you didn’t turn up in any of the orphanages.” He drawled. “Got adopted instead? Looks like you’re doing fine in this fancy school.”

            Terry shrugged carelessly. “Wayne Enterprises offers the employees’ children a chance to attend the academy. It’s not all rich families here.”

            “So your parents work for Wayne Enterprises.” He shrugged. “I guess that’s not too bad. I hear something about the head guy did something, but wasn’t really paying much attention to it.”

            “What are you doing here Michael?” Terry asked.

            “I gotta eat don’t I?” The other answered before showing him a bag filled with stolen trinkets. He recognized most of them from his fellow classmates. The ones from rich families in particular, loved to show off their new toys or jewelry their parents bought them.

            “Isn’t the orphanage feeding you? Why are you stealing?”

            The other boy snorted. “The orphanage barely has enough money to stay open. I’m just stealing enough to feed myself.”

            Terry frowned. He had forgotten that most of the funding for these orphanages came from Bruce Wayne’s charity parties and whatnots. With his father gone for the majority of the year, no one held functions to support the orphanages. He doesn’t blame Michael for stealing to survive. He had done it himself in the past.

            “You’re going to get caught one of these days.” He warned the other.

            Michael gave another snort. “You’re one to talk. You don’t have to worry about not starving to death.”

            “I had.”

            Michael became quiet for a moment. “That was different! We all had to go through that!” He was referring to No Man’s Land.

            “And yet, I some how got here.” Terry added.

            “Are you trying to rub it in my face?” Michael growled.

            “No.” Terry answered. “I’m just stating you don’t need to steal to survive.”

            “Only if you’re lucky.” He grumbled. “You’re not going to turn me in are you?”

            “I will if you continue doing this.”

            “Che, so this is a warning?” The other boy pocketed his hands.

            “It’s advice.” Terry quipped.

            “Hmph.” Michael snorted once more. “How do I know you’re not lying?”

            Terry pointed towards the back of the library. “There’s an emergency exit there. If you detach the sensor, you can leave without setting off the alarm.”

            “…” Michael stared at him. “How do you suppose I do that?”

            Terry raised a brow before leading him towards the back and easily disabled the sensors with a mechanical pencil.

            “… You never told me you could do that.” He said in surprise when the door opened silently.

            “There’s no need for those skills.” He reasoned.

            “…” Michael sighed and shook his head. “You’re definitely a weird one.” He grinned cheekily. “But congrats on the high-life.”

            Terry was startled by the sincerity of the other boy’s voice. He really didn’t expect the other to respond positively at his advice and help. He was fully expecting it to be ignored or tossed back into his face. He had some doubts when he saw Michael again—the next day—he thought he needed to call the authorities. But to his surprise, he didn’t need to. Michael wasn’t there to steal. Rather, he was there to drag him to the orphanage to see the others. Apparently, they were unable to adapt to normal life and stayed close to one another.

            His little action the day prior seemed to have relit their trust and interest on him. Each of the other children was like Michael engaged in juvenile crimes. It was unacceptable. From all the case studies and statistics he went through during his time in Cadmus, children committing petty crime in their youth were likely to continue such activities after they reached adulthood. Ivy had taken in a dozen to two dozen children into her care during the crisis. If he let this continue, the next generation of petty criminals will sky rocket.

            Since he was already grounded, it was a perfect way to pass the time. He dubbed this little pet project as the Ivy League. Partially due to the fact they were all orphans in Ivy’s care and the other half was a personal experiment to see if he was able to change these orphans enough to get them interested in actually attending Ivy League colleges in the future. His previously boring schedule was quickly filled up with meeting the Ivy Leaguers.

            At first, when he requested Alfred to pick him up at a later time, the old butler was a little skeptical about his activities. However, when he spotted the laughing children Terry was engaged with, he felt relieved and almost excited for his young master. The children were affectionate with him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder or dragging him off by the hand. To the old butler, it seemed like Terry was finally adapting to normal life.

o.o.o.o.o

            Meanwhile, Tim was occupied with his own pet project in Terry’s absence. With the other barred from the cave for the month, he was able to work on deciphering Terry’s hard drive without the other knowing. However, after spending days trying to crack the security, he opted to attempt to guess the passwords. Terry had done an excellent job in the coding. It was impossible to access the files otherwise. Fortunately, or unfortunately, there was a hint to the passwords in opening the drive and its files.

            The first Tim came across was simply: Ibn al Xu’ffasch.

            It had taken him hours before he realized it was Romanized Arabic. The ‘al’ within the Ibn al Xu’ffasch hinted there was some connection to Ras al Ghul. He found the translation to be: Son of the Bat. However, that was not the password, but what was the actual password surprised Tim greatly.

            “… Damian Wayne…” He said in disbelief when it accepted the password. “… I’m not sure should I call this kid a genius to use the brat’s name as a security password or call his a masochist for using the name of the person that’s constantly trying to kill him.”

            There were few people who knew who Batman was and even less were aware that he has a son. It narrowed the number of people that could access the drive immediately, that itself was praise worthy. Of course, much to Tim’s annoyance, that wasn’t the only line of security used. A second password window popped up with the hint: 0715.

            After spending so much time on the first password, Tim decided he probably needed assistance. And who better to help him then the person that knows Terry the longest?

            “Let me get this straight, you want me to help you crack Beyond’s files?” Conner said in disbelief.

            “Are you crazy?” Conner jumped up from his seat. “If Beyond finds out, he’ll kill me! What makes you think it’s a good idea to steal his drive in the first place? How the heck did you manage to steal it? He never lets that thing out of his sight!”

            “Bruce grounded him from using the caves and he left it there before his grounding started.”

            “… He’s grounded?” Conner gapped, that was unheard of. Even Cadmus never grounded him.

            “Never mind that.” Tim continued. “There’s this recording he has I just have to get.”

            Conner raised a brow. “What? He got blackmail footage on you or something?”

            Tim smirked. “Nope, he has a recording of him calling Lex Luthor a Superman fan boy with Luthor on the other side of the line.”

            The super clone stood stunned with his eyes widened before quickly pounced the computer. “What the hell are we waiting for? Let’s get started!”

            “I knew you’d see it my way.” Tim commented.

            They quickly plugged the drive into the computer port and got to work. The first password was quickly typed in before the second hint came up for the second password.

            “0715.” Tim started. “I know it’s on military time but—”

            Conner let out a laugh before his hands glided across the keyboard and the window accepted his password. “Man, I never thought Beyond would use that as a password.”

            “… It took me hours to answer the first question. How the heck did you get this one so quickly?” Tim asked in disbelief.

            The other continued to snicker. “Simply because you haven’t been around Beyond for most of your life.”

            “… What was the answer?” Tim asked.

            “Breakfast.”

            “… Breakfast?” Tim repeated.

            Conner’s grin widened. “0715, is the time we normally have breakfast in Cadmus. I guess something trivial like that would throw off master detectives like yourself.”

            Tim scowled at the cheekiness of the other, but quickly returned to the screen. “Enough, let’s just look for that recording.” Unfortunately, there drive was still closed with yet another password in place. “Just how paranoid is he?”

            Conner cracked up laughing, he didn’t expect Beyond’s security to be as simple habitual questions. He fully expected questions that would hurt his brain for hours. “What do you expect? A red carpet into everything he knows? You’re forgetting Beyond was once part of Cadmus and his job requires the utmost security.”

            Tim sighed. “It’s hard to remember the kid isn’t human.”

            “Hey!” The super clone retorted. To call Beyond inhuman was the same as calling him inhuman.

            “Sorry.” Tim murmured. “Didn’t mean it that way, but you know what I mean.”

            “Yeah…” Conner grinned wryly. “Beyond is no mere mortal.”

            “All right, now we’re settled the kid as some higher being trapped in a human’s boy, let’s continue before his holiness gets out of his grounding and smite us.” Tim’s comment only made the other laugh harder.

            The next hint was: Love’s Wife.

            “… Any idea?” Tim asked when he came up with a blank.

            “Uh… I don’t think Beyond knows the concept of love, other than the sociological outcome.” His words made Tim pause momentarily before he went back to his murmurings.

            “Then it’s not a Cadmus based question.” Tim sighed in irritation. “Back to researching again… Ugh…”

            “What are you two moaning about?” Cassie, Wonder Girl, asked as she walked in.

            Tim and Conner looked at one another before they both answered at the same time. “Riddles.”

            “Riddles?” She asked curiously. “That sounds interesting, can I join?”

            They shrugged, it wasn’t like they were getting anywhere by themselves. “Sure, if you want Cass.” Conner answered. “The hint is Love’s Wife.”

            “Oh that’s easy. It’s Psyche.” She answered.

            Tim quickly typed in the answer, but it wasn’t accepted. “Sorry Cass, wrong answer.” Tim said dejectedly.

            “That’s because you spelled it wrong.” She continued before typing it in herself. “Psyche is Eros’ wife, Eros being love or more commonly known as cupid.”

            The answer was accepted.

            “Cass, you’re awesome!” Conner said excitedly as he pulled his girlfriend into a hug.

            “Great work Cass.” Tim said excitedly as the screen filled with folders, all labeled in shorthand.

            “… This isn’t a riddle game.” Cassie concluded as Tim and Conner scanned through the list of folders.

            “Nope, it’s something better.” Conner said giddily.

            “Which folder would it be under?” Tim muttered.

            “Why don’t we try XIII, he’s sort of related to me, right?” Conner suggested.

            “Who? Superman?” Cassie asked. “What are you guys talking about?”

            “Shush!” Conner said quickly as the folder opened without a hassle. Many of the files weren’t protected in the XIII folder, but none of them were the file they were looking for.

            “No, this folder is solely your information.” Tim murmured before they hit a locked file.

            “Paranoia?” Cassie read curiously before a hint popped up. “The king?”

            “I don’t think this is the file.” Tim started, but Conner quickly interrupted.

            “But I want to know what this file is! Nothing else in my folder was password protected. I want to know what’s so special about this one.”

            Tim gave a sigh. “But there are so many kings. We can spend hours or days on it.”

            “Then let’s get started!” Conner chirped stubbornly.

            For the next twenty minutes, they’ve tried one name after another. From King Solomon to Henry VIII to Elvis, none of the names worked. The irritation was starting to build with each failed attempt.

            “Argh… why is this one so hard?” Conner whined.

            “Sup? What’s hard?” Bart asked as he zoomed into the room after zooming pass just seconds earlier. The trio groaned in defeat before he glanced over to the screen. “Hmm? A riddle? The king…” he grinned brightly. “Burger King!”

            “You can’t be…” Tim started, but trailed off when the password was accepted. “Are you serious?”

            Bart blinked innocently. “What’s wrong with Tim?”

            Conner laughed sheepishly. “I think he’s finally cracked.”

            The file opened to an audio recording, with a familiar scream of panic.

            _“…Are you okay?”_ Tim’s voice came through.

            _“He’s been like that since he came back.”_ Bart’s voice came next. _“I think I preferred him depressed.”_

            “That little snot bugged me!” Tim said in disbelief as they listened to the repeat of Conner’s psychotic episode.

            “Who the heck managed to bug Tim without him knowing? That’s some skills there.” Bart commented. Tim was going to respond, but a calm commentary interrupted him.

 _“After two weeks of no stimulants, subject XIII reacts negatively in a state of paranoia. However, when exposed to the stimulant, such as the RSS, subject flees in fear. The experiment… mmhhmm, haha!”_ The bellow of dark laughter sent chills down their spines.

            Conner whimpered pathetically as he hid behind Cassie in fear. “Turn it off! Turn it off! Make him stop!” He wailed.

            Tim closed the file as the dark laugh died and the speaker gave an amused murmur on someone being early.

            “Oh my god! Who the hell was that?” Bart squeaked.

            “Was that… the Beyond Conner speaks about so often?” Cassie asked, still trying to shrug off the chills from the dark laugh. “He sounds like a child devil.”

            “Creepy!” Bart agreed.

            “Dude! Where’s the evil dude that broke in?” A green parrot flew into the room in a panic before Garfield changed back in its place. “I heard the evil laugh all the way down the hall!” 

            “I believe it was a recording.” Raven’s dark voice entered the room as she stepped in. She was with Garfield when they both heard it.

            “You don’t want to know.” Conner murmured quietly.

            Raven raised a brow. “What are you guys doing in here anyway?”

            “Dunno it looked like they were doing riddle or something.” Bart answered.

            “But it’s not a game, at least with what we’ve found so far.” Cassie added.

            “Do you want to join?” Conner chirped cheerily. “So far, all the answers are weird.”

            The two agreed to stay and help before Tim closed the XIII folder and went to the next, the JLUN folder. They guessed it was shorthanded for something that involved the Justice League. The hint was: Knitting the Night Sky.

            “Seven Goddesses.” Raven answered after a moment. The group paused waiting for an explanation. “It’s a Chinese mythology, the blanket of night is knitted by seven goddesses, but one fell in love with a mortal and strayed from her duties. Eventually, the world suffered from days of heat and drought until the mortal she fell in love with told her to return and she and the other goddesses continued their duties to knitting a new blanket of night every night.”

            The password was accepted. Inside of the folder were files on how to neutralize each and every one of the Justice League members. Some went as far as killing the league members. Garfield lost his lunch halfway before they decided to choose another folder.

            “That is sick.” The changeling murmured. “What are you guys doing with information like that?”

            “… Conner… his job in Cadmus… was it…” Tim was hesitant to ask.

            “His job was to plan for any threat the Justice League might turn out and neutralize it.” Conner shrugged. “Not something he particularly enjoyed, but a job’s a job.”

            “… Let’s just move to the next folder.” Tim murmured.

            The next folder they chose was BMLIN and the hint for the folder was: Batman’s Love Interests. The group stared at the hint in disbelief.

            "… Batman’s love interest?” Bart said in disbelief.

            “Dude, your boss is human?” Garfield said before Raven knocked him over the head for being stupid.

            “I think that’s yours to answer Tim.” Conner said.

            Tim flushed in embarrassment as he quickly connected to the batcave’s computer. “How the heck did this kid find out of this information?” He murmured before quickly hacking through Bruce’s files and counted the list of love interests he had as Batman. “25…”

            The guys in the room gave a whistle. “Man, your boss gets around.”

            However, twenty-five was not the actual answer, it actually took a moment before he realized there were zeros in front of twenty-five and the number of zeros corresponded with the number of women Terry actually recognized. Like Damian Wayne, this was a good choice. Only those who had access to Batman’s past love interests would be able to answer it. The content of this folder was very much like the JLUN folder. They figured the N in the end stood for neutralize. In the folder were a file for each of Batman’s previous love interest and twenty ways to kill them or deal with them if they return from the dead to harm Batman.

            “… I’m starting to think he’s the fan boy here.” Tim murmured before they continued onto the next folder. They really don’t want to know how half these women would die if they ever cross Beyond.

            “Oh man… Ms. Lane is there too.” Conner gapped

            The next folder was BBEP and the hint was: Little Red.

            “Embarrassment?” Garfield guessed, but was quickly interrupted.

            “Sex.” Everyone stared at Raven. “It’s probably in connection to little red riding hood and how the red symbolizes temptation and what the wolf ultimately wants in the end.”

            “… Conner! What kind of friend is this Beyond?” Cassie said heatedly when the password was accepted. “Some dirty old man?”

            “… Dirty… old… man…” Conner’s shoulders shook with mirth.

            “What’s so funny?” Bart asked, but that only made Conner laugh even harder.

            “… I don’t think a dirty old man can pass off being a girl…” Raven murmured as she glanced through the files over Tim’s shoulder.

            “… When he said he’s trained in espionage… he wasn’t kidding.” Tim murmured. “He even has down what brand and shade of makeup that suits his complexion.”

            “Wait what? Beyond cross dressing?” Conner jumped out of his seat and rushed to the screen, but pouted when he saw only text. “Aw… no pictures?”

            “I don’t think he’s stupid enough to keep incriminating pictures of himself cross dressing.” Tim commented dryly. “It’s not in this folder either.”

            The others didn’t ask what he was looking for. From what they’ve seen so far, they reasoned it was important. This Beyond character had so many questionable files and many was disturbing. The next folder was labeled DWAG, the hint was: Golden Arches.

            “Golden arches…” Cassie pondered. “Would that be the Doges Palace in Venice?”

            “No way, it’s McDonalds!” Bart argued.

            “As disgusting as the last password was, this Beyond character is definitely well educated, why would it be a stupid fast food restaurant?” Cassie argued.

            Bart grinned. “But he did use Burger King earlier.”

            Cassie paused before glancing over to Tim, who was typing the answer in. “Bart got this one, its McDonalds.” He answered.

            “YAHOO! I got it right!” Bart cheered while Cassie scowled.

            “There seems to be a pattern here…” Conner murmured.

            “Pattern?” Tim glanced up to the other in surprise.

            “The passwords we’ve encountered so far seem to follow a difficulty pattern.” He said seriously.

            “… Conner… We chose which folder to open.” Tim said dryly.

            “I know.” He whined. “But the probability of the difficulty level follows the same pattern!”

            “… So what’s your point?” Tim asked.

            “Beyond is an ASS!” Conner said vehemently with a pout.

            “…” Tim was silent for a moment returning his attention returned to the screen. “Conner, you’re an idiot.”

            “Hey!” The other protested but Tim ignored him and quickly went through the files in the new folder they opened. It seemed the entire folder was dedicated to the hell spawn, Damian Wayne. There were multiple video recordings of the brat triggering traps and expertly moving around them afterwards.

            _“Subject DWAG is improving tremendously. Locks C-21 to C-29 have been bypassed.”_ Terry’s voice rang through the room with amusement as he noted on his findings.

            “Sick.” Garfield said in amazement. “This kid is going through all these security precautions like nothing! How can this guy just talk as if it was nothing?”

            “…” Tim remained silent, he could think of plenty of reasons. The main one being Terry was not the least bit terrified of Damian and followed closely by their morning game of tag.

            Bart gave a whistle. “Man, this Beyond guy is quite a character.”

            “It’s not here either.” Tim murmured quietly, but the group’s attention was caught. Despite how interesting Damian’s abilities were to them, they’re curious to what Tim was looking for. The next folder they chose was labeled PJBB. Surprisingly the folder was not locked, but what they found was shocking. “This is…” Tim whispered.

            Conner glanced over Tim’s shoulder before a quiet smirk touched his lips. “Beyond’s evaluation files.” The group was captivated. After hearing so much about the great Beyond, they were finally able to see what he can do. 

            “His physical abilities are average, but… he can shoot accurately 490 out of 500 …” Tim became silent. Not only Terry was skilled with a gun, his aim was meticulous, there was little chance he would miss.

            “I told you he emptied five rounds at me without blinking an eye.” Conner muttered.

            “Ten Digits, Spider Down the Drain?” Cassie read out loud curiously. “What’s with these odd titles?” It turned out those files were cases Terry solved when he was the Voice. There were even records of him working with the Royal Flush Gang before they defected from Cadmus. Each file only served to impress the group. They were anxious to know more until they reached one file in the folder that was locked.

            The hint was: KHConner.

            “This one has your name in it, so I guess it’s yours.” Tim murmured.

            “… But Beyond doesn’t call me Conner. He calls me XIII. I don’t know what KH stands for.” The other answered.

            Tim gave a sigh. “Then the hint is KHXIII… Ideas anyone?” Most of the group remained quiet, save for Bart.

            “… By any chance does this Beyond guy play games?” Bart asked.

            “I don’t think—” Tim paused as he recalled his room having a game that is initialed KH.

            “He told me he was trying to blend in with the younger group last time I chat with him.” Conner commented.

            Bart grinned. “I think the answer for this one is Roxas!”

            The password was accepted.

            “… I wonder why this file was so important.” Tim murmured before his body froze at the first line in big bold words. “… Project… Batman… Beyond…”

            “Oh Hera…” Cassie covered her mouth.

            “He’s a Batman clone?” Tim said uncertainly as he quickly skimmed through the rest of the file, Terry wasn’t a clone, not an exact clone. He definitely had half of Bruce’s DNA, but the other half was from genetic alterations the file went in detail of how he was to be brought up and what routine he should be following.

            “I thought you knew.” Conner said cheerily.

            _Bruce probably did_. Tim thought, but if Bruce trusted the kid enough, there shouldn’t be much for him to worry at all. He started laughing quietly before he became a full-blown laugh. While not as dark as the one they heard earlier, Tim’s laugh was not less scary for the Titans. “All this time, it’s been two bat spawns we’ve been handling.”

            Trying to distract the group from Tim’s laughter Raven glanced through the content of the file before raising a brow. “… This Beyond is a kid. He’s not even twelve yet.”

            “No way!” Bart said in disbelief.

            “Ugh… I need a bathroom break.” Garfield said as he walked out of the room with a hand to his head. “Tell me what I missed when I get back.”

            Once Garfield left, Tim mellowed out and left the PJBB folder and decided to scroll to the bottom of the page. It was going to take forever if they continued at this rate. Once at the bottom, he noticed a media file with no name on it. He felt his heart jump in excitement. This might just be the file they’ve been looking for the whole time. He quickly clicked it and… another hint popped up. 

            “… What the hell is that supposed to be?” Bart asked. The hint for this password was strange glyphs of some sort.

            “Got anything Cassie?” Tim asked.

            “… Nothing I recognize.” She said truthfully.

            “Raven?” He turned to the other girl.

            She shook her head. “Nothing magical about them.”

            Tim made a quick crosscheck with hieroglyphs and other known languages even then nothing came up.

            “Hold on a sec, I’ll go get Kori, it might be something alien!” Bart darted off before anyone can retort. He returned minutes later with the orange-skinned alien.

            “Is there something you need my assistance with my friends?” She asked sweetly as she flew into the room after Bart zoomed back.

            “… Well… you’re good with languages right Kori? Do you recognize these glyphs?” Tim asked.

            Kori bent over and studied the screen for a moment before shaking her head. “I do not recognize this writing. It is nothing I’ve encountered before.” She glanced over to the teen wonder. “Is it important?”

            “Not sure yet.” He sighed.           

            “What’d I miss?” Garfield asked when he returned, but paused when he spotted the hint on the screen. He gave a big grin before shoving Tim’s chair out of the way and typed in the password in triumph while Conner caught Tim’s spinning chair.

            The password was accepted.

            “… I didn’t know you could read glyphs Garf.” Conner said curiously.

            “Hehe, I’m just that awesome.” Garfield said cheekily.

            Raven raised a brow. “All right, what are these glyphs?”

            Garfield snickered. “They’re Unown. The hint said Push, but the actuality is Pull. It’s a very funny commercial.”

            “Ah… TV should’ve guessed.” Raven commented dryly.

            “Hey! My days in front of the TV were not wasted as you can see.” The other retorted.

            Tim shook his head as he clicked on the file. It wasn’t the audio he was looking for. Instead it was a recording of that night Bane attacked the manor. The group watched in horror as the two kids fought against a monstrous man like Bane. However, Tim and Conner were the only two that was the least affected. By now, they’re fully aware of what Terry was capable. Bane wasn’t a threat compared to the kids.

            “All right…” Tim closed the file before it gotten to the point where the two brothers beat Bane half dead over the head with pipes. “… We’re going to try one last file before we quit…” He was feeling guilty. He intruded in more than what he planned.

            The last folder they chose was WSF, the hint on the folder was: Both Men’s mother and interestingly enough, this was probably the easier ones for Tim and Conner. Between the two of them, they figured the hint referred to none other then Batman and Superman’s mother.

            “Martha.” Tim murmured as he typed it in. the folder was filled with mainly media files. He clicked the SM file first. __

_“And who’s it to blame to why the city would need such funding to repair itself yearly? The city would not even need half that amount yearly if you and the other so call heroes took the structural integrity of the cities you fight in, into consideration.”_

            “… Did this person just scold Superman?” Kori asked curiously.

            Conner held his sides laughing. “Oh man, he never told me about this one.”

            A commentary followed shortly after the recording. _“Despite of my brash reasoning, Cadmus had opted not to punish me even though I revealed my existence to the man. Instead, they seemed amused. I did not understand at the time, but my hypothesis was that they were amused at my inexperience.”_

            Bart was the first to laugh. “Oh man, he just pwned Superman and he thinks they think it’s because he was childish?”

            Tim couldn’t help himself but grin as well. There were times where Terry is so naively innocent. The next file was another commentary.

            _“… For some reason, the guard found it amusing that Cindy had slobbered over my cheek. He didn’t divulge the reason, but I’ll assume it’s not important unless it comes up again…”_

_“… Four years since the last incident, there seems to be a repeat of a similar incident with the girls within the Academy to what has occurred with Cindy. XIII had expressed a similar amusement from the girls attempting to tackle me in the hallways.”_

            By then a good portion of the Titans lost their composure as they kneeled over laughing at how adorable Terry was. All thoughts of horror and amazement from earlier have all but disappeared. Even so, it didn’t stop them from laughing at the final file.

 _“Batman, we have a situation.”_ Green Lantern’s voice came through.

            No one was left standing in the tower that day.

o.o.o.o.o

            The day Terry’s grounding was up, he had gone down to the cave and found his drive missing. A cold chill stabbed at his chest before he crawled about the cave looking for it. He was going to run to Alfred and ask the old butler if he’d seen the thing, when Tim came back into the cave by his motorcycle. In the hand of the older boy was the drive he was searching for. He glanced up at the other’s eyes and for the first time, he let horror cross his face. Tim got into his drive, he _knew_.

            “Ah Terry, I—” Tim started to explain, but Terry grabbed the drive and dashed up to Damian’s room before pulling up all the security.

            There were very few times where Terry was afraid. He could count all those incidents in one hand alone. This time was probably the worse for him. He still remembered the first day he came to the manor, he heard the conversation between Dick and Tim on how his father’s spawns are similar to hellions. He could care less for their opinion of him, but what he was worried about was that Tim would tell his father.

            Terry was content with having the man think he just adopted him like the rest of them. Thinking he was just another orphan. He didn’t want to risk the man knowing he was a project created just to kill him. Now that Tim knows, it was likely he’d tell his father and everything he enjoyed so far would be nothing more then a memory.

            He didn’t dare go to dinner that night.

            “Is Terry okay?” Bruce asked during dinner when Terry didn’t appear.

            “He’s locked himself in Master Damian’s room.” Alfred replied as he served the man his food.

            Bruce raised a brow. “Why did he do that?”

            A look of guilt crossed Tim’s face. “I might have something to do with it.” He mumbled. “I’ll say sorry to him later. I really didn’t mean to.”

            Bruce sighed. “As long as you two get this thing settled, I won’t ask.”

            Tim didn’t get a chance to speak with Terry that night. Terry kept the security levels at max, giving him no chance breaking in without wasting a good amount of sleep, but by then the other boy would’ve been asleep and waking him would be pointless.

            “Master Terry, are you all right?” Alfred asked the next morning on the drive to school.

            “I’m fine.” Terry said quietly.

            “Did something happen between you and Master Tim?”

            “…” Terry became silent.

            “He tried apologizing to you last night, but couldn’t get through your security.” Alfred added, still the other didn’t speak. “Are you mad at him?”

            “… No…” Terry mumbled.

            “Do you want to talk about it?”

            “… No…”

            “Will you at least talk with Master Tim later? He’s sincerely sorry for what he’s done.” The old butler said gently.

            “… Tell him to pick me up later then.” Terry said after a moment of silence.

            “Very well then.” Alfred said with a smile. “I do hope the two of you will get this through peacefully.”

            Terry gave a weak smile. “I’m sure it won’t turn out like anything similar to being like Damian’s.”

            The old butler chuckled. “I hope not. Have a nice day at school, Master Terry.”

            “Bye Alfred.” Terry murmured as he left.

            For the rest of the day, he couldn’t concentrate. The only thing he could think of was how to confront Tim. He ended up answering everything correctly from his lack of attention. By the time midday came, he didn’t feel like thinking or wanting to do anything.

            “Terrence Wayne, someone’s here to pick you up.” An administrative woman came into the classroom two periods before school ended. 

            He didn’t say a word as he quietly packed up and followed her to the office. However, halfway to there, the woman covered a cloth over Terry’s face. He tensed as he recognized the scent on the cloth—chloroform—by then, it was too late. His vision became hazy as the office lady lugged him over her shoulder and ran off. He didn’t even have the strength to protest as his grip on his bag loosened and dropped in the middle of the hallway.

            Two hours later, Tim found Terry’s backpack with its owner long gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Terry's notes
> 
> WSF= What’s so Funny?
> 
> JLUN= Justice League Unit Neutralize
> 
> BMLIN= Batman Love Interest Neutralize
> 
> BBEP= Batman Beyond Espionage
> 
> DWAG= Damian Wayne Al Ghul
> 
> PJBB= Project Batman Beyond


	14. Versus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Terry gone, the family is in a frenzy trying to find him and his kidnappers.

            Terry’s disappearance was not taken lightly. The boy was formerly part of Cadmus and even more so, he had access to the bat-computer’s records. They waited two days for a ransom before filing a missing report to the police. As confident as they were with their own searches, it was not possible to put off Terrance Wayne’s appearance in public for more than a few days. Bruce’s frame-up was still fresh among the public. They needed to keep unneeded questions from rising. That didn’t stop the tabloids from implying that Bruce had killed his own son.

            In spite of his failing public image, the search continued for the youngest Wayne. Bruce had gone as far as including the rest of the bat clan to search for the little boy. Alfred stayed in the manor, waiting daily for a sign of a ransom, hoping for the safety of his young master. Three weeks into the search, doubts rose among the group.

            “How are you sure the kid was kidnapped at all? You said he worked for Cadmus in the past right? They could’ve easily gotten someone to cover up and make it seem like a kidnap.” Dick tossed out casually

            “We keep looking.” Bruce said sternly as he crossed off the people they’ve already interrogated on Terry’s whereabouts.

            “Do you think the kid might be—?”

            “We keep looking.” Bruce repeated with a growl.

            “Bruce, you have to think of the possibility. The kid managed himself against that homicidal brat. If anything, he would have contacted us by now.” Dick reasoned.

            “We will not stop searching.” The older man snapped.

            “Face it Bruce! The kid is either dead and he went back to Cadmus!” The former boy wonder retorted.

            “He wouldn’t.” Tim interrupted before the two could argue.

            “Tim, you can’t be serious about trusting the kid.” Dick said grimly.

            “I won’t say I’d trust him with my life, but I’d trust he won’t betray Bruce.” Tim crossed his arms and glanced at the older man. “I’m sure Bruce would agree with me.”

            “…” He didn’t speak.

            “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Dick snapped.

            Tim kept his eyes on Bruce. “A month ago, before Terry was kidnapped, I took that hard drive he kept with him. Conner and I broke through the codes. His job in Cadmus was to neutralize the Justice League if they ever go rogue.”

            “Neutralize… as in kill?” Dick asked before he flared up in anger. “You’re saying that kid could kill the entire Justice League?”

            “By himself, he couldn’t. He’s still human.” Tim continued. “But with an army created by Cadmus he could very well do it.”

            “Then why do you trust him?” Dick asked.

            “I don’t, I found files of the kid bugging me. I said I’d trust him not to betray Bruce.”

            Dick was startled. “Why Bruce?”

            “There was a folder dedicated to solely Bruce’s old love interests, what’d he do to them if they tried to reveal his identity or harm him. This goes for the ones that are dead as well. He even planned for the possibility that they come back to life.” Tim added.

            “… This only makes him sound like a deranged fan boy.” Dick said.

            “If that was the only thing I found about him.” Tim muttered darkly. “Terry was a Cadmus project.”

            Dick tensed. “What sort?”

            “A eugenics project, and do you know what he was originally created for?” He watched as Dick became silent. “To kill Batman.”

            “Hell Tim! If he’s created to kill Bruce, why the hell—” Dick was interrupted.

            “There’s something else.” Bruce stated.

            “I was wondering if you were ever going to tell us about this little fact I found out.” Tim said quietly.

            “What fact?” Bruce frowned.

            “That Terry is your son!” Tim snapped. “Why didn’t you tell us? Does he even know that you figured it out already?”

            “What are you talking about Tim?” Bruce’s voice became cold.

            “In that drive was a folder all about Terry, all about the project that created him. Project Batman Beyond. Cadmus took your blood and proceeded with a eugenics experiment. Don’t tell me you… don’t…” Tim’s eyes widened. “You didn’t know…”

            “What is this about Terry being my son?” Bruce’s voice rose dangerously as he backed Tim into a wall.

            “I thought you knew.” Tim said uncertainly before he realized something. “The drive, it should still be in the manor.”

            And it was, with a little effort, Bruce broke into Damian’s locked room and found the drive hidden in the pillow. With the cracked codes, Bruce had complete access to the drive and its secrets. He spent the rest of the night going through each and every one of the files within the drive. Neither Dick nor Tim interrupted him. He cursed at his blindness. He should’ve noticed.

            From the moment Alfred suggested adoption, he should have realized that startled look on Terry’s face. The boy knew he was his son, but the fact they used it as a cover to protect him was unexpected. Then there was his reaction after they concluded on having him as a Wayne.

_“… Do I call you father then?” Terry asked hesitantly._

_“I believe that is what normal families would do isn’t it?” He answered._

_“I…” Terry trailed off before trying again. “... None of the projects in Cadmus had parents… I’m not sure…”_

            He remembered how tense and confused the boy was when he first gave him a hug. The first time the boy opened up to him. The times he spent with him after he returned from training with Lady Shiva, the hesitant smiles, and the eagerness to please and help him. Terry rarely complained and if he had it was to protect him. He even forced himself to upkeep Bruce Wayne’s airhead façade to cover his secret. How did he miss all these signs?

            Then there was Damian’s reaction that unadulterated hate he had for Terry. It was unlike what he had for Tim. Damian was satisfied with simply defeating Tim and left him for death, but for Terry, he wanted the boy utterly defeated and dead. He shouldn’t have put off the morning fights as a mere spat between boys. Lastly, there was that conversation he had with Superboy when he first ran away from Cadmus.

 _“… Why does Superman trust Batman?”_ He thought it was simply the matter of confidence at the time, but Superboy had hinted to him who Terry was.

            “How was I this blind?” He whispered to himself.

            His search became more fervent as the underworld began to fear the name of Batman more than ever. He withdrew from all Justice League duties. Until Terry was found and returned safely, he would not stretch his attention elsewhere. When his absence lengthened Superman and Flash finally decided to pay him a visit. They were worried with Batman’s growing reputation in the underworld. Criminals were fleeing from Gotham in fear.

            “Sir, you have guests.” Alfred spoke warily. He was just as exhausted as the rest of the family.

            “Thanks Alfred, why don’t you go rest? We’ll try to talk some sense into him.” Clark said.

            “If he’s willing to listen.” Wally snorted. Clark gently jabbed the redhead in the side.

            “If you can sir.” Alfred said before leaving them.

            The cave was strung up with lines of clipped papers, from locations to people to pictures. The bat computer was no different, multiple files were opened and their dark knight was going through each one like a mad man.

            “Bruce?” Clark called hesitantly.

            “Bats?” Wally asked cautiously.

            “What is it?” The other growled. His eyes never left the screen.

            “Are you okay? We haven’t seen you in two months.” Clark said.

            “Yeah, what’s with these new decorations? Planning to have a party in the cave?” Wally asked as he casually flicked at them.

            “Don’t touch anything!” He hissed before Wally backed away with raised hands. “You’re not here for a social call. What is it?”

            “… Everyone’s worried for you Bruce.” Clark continued. “If you need help, we’ll gladly give it to you, just ask.”

            “Yeah Bats, we’re friends right?” Wally asked as he strolled over to the computer. Papers went flying as Batman slammed his hands on the table.

            “I can’t even find him! How can you help?” He snapped furiously.

            “Find who?” Wally asked as he caught all the flying papers. “Hey, I know this kid.”

            Bruce glanced away from the screen and noticed the red head holding a picture of Terry playing with Ace on the manor grounds. He lashed out grabbing the speedster by the collar and pulled him off the ground. “WHERE?”

            “I saw him like last, last winter! The kid was running around Central in ten below weather without a jacket and caught pneumonia so I took him to the hospital. He ran away three days later.” Wally flailed his arms trying to get the man to let go. Of course, he could have knocked Bruce away with his speed, but he was so terrified of the man he forgot he could do so.

            “… A year ago…” Bruce said dejectedly as he released Wally.

            “So this kid has some connections to you huh? I thought as much.” The speedster said as he glanced at the picture again. “Cute kid, is he next in line to be Robin?”

            “…” Bruce said nothing as he went back to his files.

            “I would say he’s a good candidate though, he broke out of the pediatrics ward. That place is locked up tight. Gave me the slip too when I chase him to the train station.” Wally said before Clark took the picture from his hand.

            “I remember him.” Clark murmured before Bruce glanced up from the screen, the man of steel tensed and resisted to back away at the glare in the man’s eyes. “I saw him around late last spring outside the Daily Planet crying about being separated from his mom to Lois. When I took him to the train station, there was this accident I had to deal with, but when I went back to check on him he was gone… He came here to Gotham?” The man paled as he calculated the time. “But that’s when No Man’s Land was still going on. This boy…” He glanced over to Bruce. “He’s the Voice?”

            “Wait a second, wait a second!” Wally held out his hands to pause them. “GL told me the voice is a kid, but cute little Anthony here?” He waved the picture. “And he’s missing?”

            “Anthony? I thought his name was Jacob.” Clark said in puzzlement.

            “No, its Anthony, I caught him by surprise.” Wally argued.

            “His name is Terrance Wayne.” Bruce grounded ceasing their argument.

            “What?” The two men paused with their eyes widen.

            “He’s your son?” Wally said in disbelief before he pondered over the thought. “Hmm… I guess we should’ve seen that one coming, with how he talked to us in that jail cell.  He repeated the exact same line you used to yell at us.”

            “Did he go back to—” Clark wasn’t allowed to finish as Bruce glared at him.

            “Is there anything the two of you are here for?” He said lowly.

            “Bats we’re just trying to—”

            “I don’t need your help.” He snapped. 

            “But we’re here if you ever need it.” Clark added gently.

            Bruce said nothing as they left. He slumped tiredly to his chair. Just when he finally obtained some information on Terry, it wasn’t on the boy’s whereabouts. Rather, it was his whereabouts before he came under Bruce’s care. The boy had pneumonia, fucking pneumonia, running about Central in the frigid cold. He was wandering around Metropolis for who knows how long. Luthor could’ve captured him; he could’ve gotten hurt. But nothing compared to learning Terry was in Gotham during No Man’s Land crisis.

            Hours after Superman and Flash’s visit, Bruce left for his patrol around Gotham. Petty crime dropped since Terry’s disappearance. With Batman terrorizing the underworld, interrogating whomever he could get his hands on and leaving those he’s finished with in a bloody pulp many left in fear for their life. It was a dangerous time to cross the dark knight.

            Yet, during his patrol he found a boy, not much older than Terry, vandalizing a rooftop with graffiti. When he neared the boy, he could hear him muttering obscenities under his breath.

            “Does your parents know you’re out here doing this?” He said darkly.

            The boy jumped in surprise at hearing his voice, but once he saw Batman, he gave a relieved sigh. “Finally! I’ve been doing this for ten days!” He said exasperatedly and dropped the cans of spray paint.  “Do you know how hard it is to catch your attention?”

            “This is not a game, go home.” Batman growled lowly as he turned to leave.

            “I know it’s not a game! But how else am I supposed to get you attention?” The boy snapped in irritation. “You think I like coming out here at night and vandalize things?”

            “Go home.” He repeated.

            “Wait! It took me forever to find you! You can’t just leave like that!” The boy started chasing him.

            He pulled out a grappling hook and aimed. This boy was starting to remind him of Jason and it pained his heart to be reminded of his deceased Robin. He sorely wished that he won’t have to bury Terry as he did for Jason.

            “Rose!” The boy shouted.

            Batman paused as he noticed a shift from the shadows. A familiar girl stepped out wringing her hands nervously. “… Rose… You’re the girl Poison Ivy protected?”

            The boy huffed in irritation as he neared. “Sure! Remember the one that nearly died! What am I? Chopped liver?”

            “Michael!” The girl hissed before turning back to the dark knight. “I’m sorry for the way we acted to catch you attention, but we really need you help.”

            “Go to the police.” He said bluntly.

            The boy Michael snorted. “Yeah, like the police would care about what a bunch of kids would say. They don’t care if another kid goes missing!”

            That wasn’t true, the police do care, but with the number of kidnappings in Gotham, it was hard for them to cover everything.

            “I’m busy.” He said. His spare time was dedicated to finding his son.

            “What? We’re not good enough to help?” Michael snapped as Batman moved to leave again. “Is it because we’re orphans and cared for by Miss Ivy?”

            “Michael! Acting like this won’t help Terry.” Rose said as she held the boy back.

            “But he’s the only one that could help him! The police can’t do it!” Michael struggled. “By the time they find him, Terry will be dead!”

            Batman lowered his grappling hook and turned to the two. It was only coincidence. Terry was a very common name. It can’t possibly be him… Yet, he couldn’t help but stop. The two continued to argue as he watched them.

            “Fine, tell me about this boy.” He finally spoke. They lit up immediately.

            “Terry’s part of the group of kids Miss Ivy took in during the crisis, but he got adopted shortly afterwards. We kept in touch, but about two months ago, he just disappeared.” Rose said.

            “We didn’t get into a fight!” Michael added in a hurry. “We even asked his classmates. They all said he’s missing.”

            “What’s his full name? What does he look like? And what school does he attend?” He asked in quick succession.

            “We don’t know his full name, he’s just Terry.” Rose continued as she raised her hand to about her chin level to suggest the height. “He’s about this tall, black hair, blue eyes and very serious, when he’s not around strangers.”

            “Been like that when I first found him half dead outside of Miss Ivy’s garden. He’s super serious, but very smart and patient. He used to help us with homework after he got out of that snobby Gotham Prep Academy.”

            That did it, from the description the two given him, he was certain the boy they were looking for was Terry. Gotham Academy was a prestige private school. The number of students was quite small compared to a public school. He could probably find two people named Terry in the school, but only one would match their description. And that one would be his son, Terrance Wayne.

            “Why are you going out of your way to ask me for help?” He needed to ask. He had some doubt as they were doted on by Poison Ivy, but Terry’s involvement with them suggested otherwise.

            “Why?” The two were baffled by his question, but Michael answered vehemently. “We’re worried for that stupid ice cube!”

            “All the other kids are worried too.” Rose added.

            “They were just too chicken to come.” Michael grumbled.

            “Michael misses him the most.” Rose giggled.

            “Do not!” The boy argued before quickly turning back to Batman. “So will you look for him?”

            “… I’ll look into it.” He said as he fired his grappling hook and swung away.

            “Do you think he will?” Rose asked worriedly.

            Michael crossed his arms behind his head. “I think he would.” The girl glanced over to him curiously as he grinned. “The way he said _‘I’ll look into it’_ sounded a lot like Terry. How he’s super serious and all. I think Batman and Terry are probably the same type. Hehe, maybe they’re father and son.”

            “Sure.” Rose said sarcastically.

            Unknown to them, Batman was listening, their words only served as a boost of determination for him to find his son.

o.o.o.o.o

            That morning, Ace found a small package at the manor’s door. He sniffed and checked for anything dangerous and raised his head in search for intruders. There were no one on the premise and he could smell no stranger either. Once he deemed it safe, he carried it to Alfred by his mouth. The old butler was skeptical at first; the package had no postage or a return address. The only thing noted was the scripted writing to Bruce. Nonetheless, the package was brought to the man’s attention. Inside was a carefully packaged disc.

            The disc was scanned for viruses and whatnots. When none was found, Bruce opened its contents. Within the disc held a text report and multiple video files that dated throughout the last two months. Upon opening the text file, he felt a chill rush up his spine and his face paled.

            “…Project Batman Beyond Reprogramming.” He read in horror. Cadmus and Checkmate had his son.

            Not only was Terry kidnapped; he was placed through nearly twelve weeks worth of torture and brainwashing. It was inhumane to what they’ve done to him. In short of drugs, they’ve placed him through sleep deprivation, electrocutions, grueling mental attacks and more. Bruce suspected Cadmus still saw Terry beneficial to their cause and wanted to convert him into a loyal soldier. He was hesitant to open the video files that accompanied the text, but his worries for the boy drove him to wanting to know what they’ve done to him.

            Within seconds, the screen showed a brightly lit white room with nothing but a single chair in the middle, with a very peeved Terry bound in place. His eyes showed an icy glare he was retaliating. Bruce felt his heart leap. His boy was alive.

            “Welcome back Beyond.” A man’s voice droned. “Did you enjoy your trip?”

            “Can’t say I have, I was unconscious for the most part.” Terry retorted snippily. “Did Cadmus miss me so much, they resorted to kidnapping?”

            “It’s not a kidnap if the other consents.”

            “I never consented to anything.” Terry grounded out.

            “Ah, but you have. If you didn’t, how else were we able to retrieve you so easily? You’re not that careless.”

            Terry turned away. “Say what you want, I’m not resuming my duties at Cadmus.”

            “Of course not, you’ll need to rest up from your long trip before you resume. You must be exhausted.”

            Terry said nothing before the video stopped and Bruce hurriedly clicked on the next file. Like the last, Terry remained bounded while a voice spoke to him. At first, each file was short with mainly conversations between Terry and this voice. However, as time lengthen, their methods changed from the peaceful talks to something more grueling. Little by little, they were forcing Terry to talk and even argue at times.

            By the end of the first month, Terry was limp against his bindings his chin was against his chest. His hair covered his eyes. The boy showed signs of exhaustion from the lack of sleep and periods of water deprivation.

            “Are you enjoying your break, Beyond?”

            “It won’t work.” Terry said weakly. “What you’re trying…” He mumbled in exhaustion.

            “Try what Beyond?”

            “I’m trained against brainwashing. I developed the mind block that Cadmus used against that Justice Leaguer Jon. You’re just wasting your time.” Terry said weakly.

            “We’re not trying to brainwash you Beyond. We’re just reminding you your priorities. You’re a Cadmus project. Your duties are to Cadmus. It’s time you’ve come back to us.”

            “No.” Terry grounded out.

            “Why not?”

            “I won’t do anything that would harm dad.”

            “Dad? Is that what you dubbed your target as?” The man said in amusement.

            “He’s not a target!” Terry argued.

            “But he is.” The man continued. “He’s your main target. The target you were created for. If not for him, your existence means nothing. Even now, you’re nothing.”

            “He’s my dad!”

            “He’s your genetics donor.” He said firmly. “You are nothing to him.”

            “That’s not true! He gave me a name!” Terry argued. “He took me in as a son.”

            “You manipulated him into doing so.” The other retorted. “By the way, very well done to have the man trust you so willingly.”

            "I didn’t manipulate him!”

            “You have!” The man snapped. “You knew the man was aware of your abilities and your position in Cadmus. He knew you were a threat to his Justice League and you successfully used that to your advantage and have him take you in, in order for him to watch over you. Knowing you, you haven’t even told the man of your true origins to avoid him from suspecting you.”

            “I…” Terry shook his head violently. “Lies! I didn’t deceive him!” He thrashed against his binding. “I wouldn’t do that to dad!”          

            “You have! You can deny it aloud, but you know the truth. You’ve deceived the man. You manipulated him to your wishes.”

            “Lies! Lies!” Terry screeched as he struggled violently.

            “If it’s all lies, why haven’t you told him you were created from his blood?”

            Terry stopped thrashing and tensed.

            “You planned to deceive him from the start!” He accused.

            “I haven’t!” Terry cried out. “I haven’t…” He lowered his head.

            “You’re Beyond. Your existence is to destroy Batman.”

            “No.” His shoulders shook. “I don’t want to hurt dad.”

            “He’s not your father. He’s your target.”

            “He’s not.” Terry whimpered.

            “Repeat after me Beyond. Batman is my target. Batman is my enemy. I’m created to destroy Batman.”

            The mantra was repeated again and again in the following files. Terry was electrocuted each time he refused to repeat the mantra. Bruce could see the boy cracking with each passing video, the black bags under his eyes, the cracked lips from dehydration and the ever-present limp posture from exhaustion. They woke him with a bucket of water whenever he fell asleep. He awoke in a spluttering mess, coughing as he breathed in water.

            Bruce watched with a painful heart as the screen focused on the same white room yet again, but this time, it was the last and final file on the disc. Terry remained seated unmoving.

            “What is your objective Beyond?”

            Terry lifted his head weakly.

            “No…” Bruce whispered as a chill spiked his heart. Those icy blue eyes were lifeless with nothing left of the boy he knew.

            “My duty… is to neutralize the threat of the Justice League.”

            “What is your priority?”

            “My priority…” Terry trailed off.

            Bruce gripped his hands tightly at the edge of his desk, hoping for some small chance that Terry wasn’t completely gone.

            “What is your priority Beyond?”

            “My priority…” His dead eyes stared straight into the screen. “… Is to eliminate Batman.”

            The bindings that held Terry snapped open, allowing the boy to leave. He made no move to flee. He waited patiently for the other to speak again.

            “Return to your duties.” The man ordered.

            “Understood.” Terry droned as he stood and dragged his exhausted body away from the chair.

            The screen faded to darkness as it ended. Bruce shook with fury as he punched the desk. He was furious that they’ve taken Terry, furious that they put the boy through such grueling torture and furious with himself that he could do nothing. He had promised the boy sanctuary and yet, he carelessly left the boy alone again and again. He was to blame.

            “It’s not your fault Master Bruce.” Alfred said quietly to console him. He had watched alongside him the whole time.

            “I let this happen.” Bruce whispered harshly.

            “You can’t keep an eye on the boy forever.” Alfred reasoned sadly.

            “I left him alone all those times. Had I been around more often—why didn’t he tell me?” He closed his eyes dejected, defeated.

            The old butler gave him a moment of silence before speaking up again. “I think Master Terry was afraid to tell you.”

            Bruce didn’t move.

            “The boy was from Cadmus and his job as you already know, was not pleasant. His job was to contain and possibly eliminate the Justice League you worked so hard to build. You can image what goes through his mind when he has to approach you. I suspect he was grateful that you were willing to accept him despite his duties and he didn’t want to risk it anymore than he needed to. I’m sure you’ve notice how starved the boy is from a normal family.”

            Bruce released a deep breath through his nose as he glanced over to screen. “I’m going to get Terry back.”

            “Shall I inform Master Dick and Master Tim?” Alfred asked.

            “If you will, I have some calls I need to make.” He said lowly.

            “Very well sir.” The old butler said before he ascended to the manor.

            Once he was gone, Bruce patched through a private line.

            “It’s me. I need your help.”

            It was the second time he found himself uttering those simple words. It was so hard, yet he knew he couldn’t do it alone to save Terry. Hopefully, he wasn’t too late.

o.o.o.o.o

            “Dick.” Tim greeted as the other came into the cave with Cassandra on the back of his bike.

            “He found him?” Dick asked as he climbed off and pulled off his helmet.

            “I don’t know much, but from what I gathered from Alfred, Bruce has an idea where he might be.”

            “Where’s Bruce?” Cassandra asked as she glanced about.

            “Here.” The man’s dark voice came from behind. The group quickly turned and to their surprise, their mentor was not alone. Behind his was none other than Zantana, Flash, Superman and Superboy.

            “Conner?” Tim said in disbelief. “What are you doing here?”

            The super gave him a cheeky grin. “You’re not thinking I would abandon Beyond like that do you?” He crossed his arms.

            Tim glanced over to Bruce questionably. The man was not one to pick someone from the titans when there are so many others he could recruit from the league.

            Instead of answering Tim, he went straight into explaining the situation and plan.

            “Terry was kidnapped by Cadmus.” He started. “More accurately, he was kidnapped by Checkmate on orders by Cadmus.” He directed the group’s attention to the screen. “I received an unknown package two days ago and in the package was a disc that contained this.” Bruce allowed the final recording to play.

            Zantana let out a gasp as she raised a hand to cover her mouth. “Oh god.” She whispered.

            Dick gritted his teeth. “How could they? He’s just a kid!” Superman and Flash shared the same sentiments.

            “As you already know, Terry had full access to my records.” Bruce continued. “This means there’s a high chance Cadmus has gotten them.”

            “… That’s not all is it?” Superman asked.

            “It’s very likely, we’ll be walking into a trap when we retrieve Terry.” Bruce answered.

            “Trap?” Zantana asked.

            Flash frowned. “You said unknown package. Do you mean it’s an anonymous tip-off?” The other nodded. “This does make it look very suspicious.”

            “That is why I specifically selected this group.” The man said seriously. “Save for Zantana, each of you had some interaction with Terry in the past. With what they’ve done to him, it’s best to have people that are capable to defending themselves. If Terry retaliates on the side of Cadmus, I want everyone to be able to escape if necessary.”

            Conner raised his hand. “Pa and I are at a disadvantage. Beyond has this red sun simulation. If he wants to take us out, he could easily just put it throughout the facility.”

            “The two of you are not here to engage him. You’re here to get them out if we fail.” By them he meant Dick, Tim and Cassandra.

            “Bruce!” Dick protested, but was quickly interrupted.

            “No one is going alone.” The dark knight said firmly. “I will not risk losing anyone on this mission.”

            No one argued. Bruce paired Conner with Tim, Superman with Dick, and Flash with Cassandra. Zantana was to stay behind and in contact with everyone through the com-link, directing them as she scried for Terry and his location. Hopefully, they weren’t too late.

o.o.o.o.o

            She felt the guilt flow through her as she watched the boy through the security cameras. He moved mechanically as he went from one screen to the next, with multiple hard copies surrounding his person. When she was given the assignment, the only thing she could think of was Bruce. This boy was a threat to him and she needed to get rid of him as quickly as possible. She never expected that Cadmus would keep him alive after she retrieved him.

            Cadmus had been searching for the boy for a full year. The fact he managed to stay out of their grasp for so long was a feat itself. She wasn’t given much information to who the boy was, except for the fact that he must be retrieved at all costs. The boy would’ve stayed unnoticed and undetected if not for the newest recruit in Checkmate, Sasha Bordeaux. Checkmate had faked the woman’s death before recruiting her into their ranks.

            After a series of cosmetic surgery, they retrained her for Checkmate’s use. They never expected her to recognize the boy. Bordeaux was told nothing about this retrieval mission. They wanted her to break off any ties to Batman. To retrieve Beyond, they called on her.

            Andrea Beaumont. 

            Normally, she would not take missions that involved or revolved around the dark knight, but this boy disturbed her. His existence scared her. To be able to elude Cadmus for so long and the fact he stayed with Bruce meant there was a chance Cadmus or Checkmate would hurt the man to retrieve the boy.

            Within a week, she found the boy. While his schedule rarely changed, it was near impossible to catch him alone even for a moment. He was overly suspicious and cautious. He would go nowhere without a witness. It became even more difficult when he started associating with a large group of orphans. They became his eyes and ears.

            It seemed hopeless for her to think she could get the boy unnoticed, at least until that day where he came to the Academy in his listless state. He was distracted it was her chance. She disguised herself to infiltrate the school and retrieve the boy with little hassle, but she knew she couldn’t get much furthered than the school’s entrance before he realized something was wrong. The chloroform ensured he could do nothing more than a weak protest. 

            After that, it didn’t take long for her to deliver the boy to Checkmate. She felt nothing at the time. Fully expecting the boy to die by the end of the week.

…

            But he didn’t. She found him under the harshest reprogramming she had ever seen. What made it worse was the broadcasting that played at every hour on the television and radio. Bruce’s face and voice appeared every day since she took the boy. For as long as she known the man, he had never shown such emotion or concern for anyone. She watched him and his various so call serious relationships in the past, but never had he shown this face. This look of desperation and concern.

            _“Please, return my son to me.”_ He begged.

            Beyond’s reprogramming completed a week ago. She stole the recorded process and sent a copy to Bruce in an attempt of redemption, but even then she felt the guilt. The boy has changed. He was no longer the same boy Bruce held. In his place was a lifeless puppet with a glaze over his eyes, seeing nothing and doing nothing but what he was commanded to. He was truly nothing.

            The alarms blared loudly before Beyond’s lifeless voice droned over the speakers. “Intruder alert! Subjects Superman, Nightwing, Flash, Batgirl, Superboy and Robin have infiltrated. Be on alert for Batman and others on the premises. I repeat…”

            Andrea closed her eyes sadly. _I’m sorry Bruce._

o.o.o.o.o

            “All right, who’s bright idea was it to break into Cadmus while the mini-Batman is in charge?” Flash shouted as he dodged the guards coming at him and Batgirl punched and flipped her way through the number of guards that advanced towards her.

            “Do you normally complain this much?” Batgirl asked as she sent a paralysis punch into one of the guard’s jaws.

            “Oh god, is everyone in the Bat-family like this?” Flash whined. “You guys seriously need a sense of humor!”

            “Like what?” The girl questioned as they hurried down another corridor.

            “Like that! Super serious!”

            “Maybe you’re not serious enough.” She quipped.

            “I’m plenty serious!” The older man chirped as he knocked out a group of guards.

            Batgirl shook her head as they continued.

o.o.o.o.o

            Beyond could see Superman and Nightwing wasn’t fairing any better. They were swarmed by guards.

            “East wing.” He voice droned. “Superboy and Robin are in the east wing.”

            He monitored the whole situation since it started. The north wing suddenly lost its power and followed not long afterwards was a series of malfunction. He analyzed the situation and redirected the issues accordingly. It was sabotage.

            “Terry.” A familiar voice called out to him. It was Batman.

            “Intru—” Beyond reached for his microphone, but a hand quickly clamped over his mouth and kept him from giving warnings or orders to the facility.

            “Terry stop, it’s me!” Batman snapped as he held him tight.

            Beyond made no move to fight him. He was captured.

            The chair was turned around and the dark knight knelt before him. “It’s all over now, I’m going to take you home—”

_Click_

            Regardless of the chaos outside, the sound echoed in their ears loudly.  Batman stayed stunned in his place as Beyond cocked the gun’s safety and aimed it at the dark knight.

             “… My priority… is to eliminate… Batman…”

 


	15. The Return

            With Superman and Nightwing supplying the distraction for Cadmus operatives, Batgirl and the Flash rushed through the facility and knocked out security cameras, alarms and announcement speakers. They kept everyone busy while Batman searched for Terry. The dark knight had managed to find schematics of the facility, but that alone was not enough to find the cunning little boy.

             Robin and Superboy on the other hand were in charge of sabotage. With the attention focused on Superman and Nightwing, there were little to keep them at bay. The two easily knocked out the group of guards and frisked them for keycards.

             “Yes!” Superboy cheered when he found the object he searched for. “Sweet, transporter cards, they’ll unlock almost anything.”

             With keycards at hand, he and Robin went through the facility destroying archives with viruses and whatnots. If Terry has given them any information on the Justice League, they needed to destroy them immediately. They would much preferred do tenfold of damage to Cadmus and Checkmate, but they had the league and others to worry about.

             An hour into the infiltration Terry announced their locations and directed security to apprehend them.  However, none of them were worried. Batman had teamed them into balanced pairs. They dealt with the onslaught of security with ease. At least until an unexpected announcement came about.

            “Attention all personnel, Batman has been apprehended. I repeat, Batman has been apprehended.”

            “Damn it!” Robin cursed as he turned his heel to run deeper into the facility, but Superboy caught his arm.

            “We need to go!” He said.

            “Not without Batman!” Tim hissed.

            “It’s not—”

            “They’re over there!” The guards shouted.

            The super clone clicked his tongue in annoyance before he hauled the teen wonder off his feet. Superboy sped through the maze of halls constantly fending Robin’s attacks and dodging bullets. By the time they’ve reached outside, a beam brought them onto the Watch Tower. The teen wonder wasn’t the only one cursing up a storm when he was placed down. Nightwing was a short distance away cursing at Superman while Flash was muttering a mile a minute with Batgirl standing a short distance away.

            “Conner.” Tim growled when the other released him and held up his hands defensively.

            “It wasn’t him.” Batgirl interrupted. “It was Batman on the announcement.” Both Robin and Nightwing stopped in their tirade and turned to her. “He was imitating Terry’s voice.”

            Superboy sighed. “I was trying to tell you, but the guards were coming and you didn’t give me a chance to explain.”

            “Then where is Batman?” Nightwing asked with his arms crossed.

            “He’s—” Superman started, but paused when the transporter lit up.

            “Batman’s coming aboard.” Zantanna said from the controls above.

            Moments later, Batman appeared with a bundle in his arms wrapped in his cape. The group was immensely relieved to see him, but the still body in his arms kept them from smiling. The man looked dejected as he silently walked past the group and off of the transport platform.

            “Beyond—” Conner started, but Tim held out an arm to stop him. “But—”

            “Just leave him alone for now.” Tim said quietly.

            Conner watched the man leave and reluctantly stepped down.

o.o.o.o.o

            Bruce sat down with a heavy heart after he tucked the boy in his private room. He tossed his cowl and gloves aside, covering his eyes with a hand. He let out a shaking breath sliding his hand down to cover his mouth. Even though the boy slept peacefully now, Bruce couldn’t forget the terror he felt moments earlier. The steadiness of the gun in his son’s hand, the emotionless declaration of elimination and the unwavering focus. He still felt chills when it replayed in his mind.  

            The lengths his son would go terrified him. Even after everything was over, he could envision what happened clearly whenever he closed his eyes.

            _“Put the gun down Terry.” He said with a steady voice as he tried to get his son to lower his weapon._

_“A shot won’t kill you, your costume is made of Kevlar.” Beyond droned in response. “Why are you here?”_

_“I’m taking you home.” Batman answered as he stared straight into his lifeless eyes._

_“I’m a threat to you and your Justice League.” Beyond didn’t move, his arm steady and gun still aimed at Batman._

_“No…” The dark knight relaxed his stance. “I’m taking you home because you’re my son.”_

_Beyond stared at him blankly. His arm faltered and the gun twitched in his grasp. There was still hope that the boy wasn’t completely gone, but it was hardly a time for relief._

_“Changing objective.” The boy murmured as he changed targets. “Target Batman is impossible to eliminate.”_

_“No!” The dark knight’s eyes widened and his face paled._

_The barrel of the gun was pressed against the boy’s temple. “Eliminate Project Batman Beyond.”_

Bruce buried his face in his hands as he tried to shake the next part out of his mind, but the images refused to part with him.

            _Beyond’s finger closed on the trigger when Batman caught his wrist and pried the weapon from his hand. His weapon gone, Beyond quickly retaliated. He snapped the wrist of his other hand before a small spray can slip into his hold. He raised it to the dark knight’s face and sprayed. Batman had only a moment to shield his face with his arm. From the smell, it was pepper spray. Had that gotten anywhere near his face, the pain it induced would have distracted him for a good few seconds._

_The gun was promptly tossed aside before the dark knight twisted his son’s arm and the can joined it not moments later. His son struggled and squirmed as he fought any attempt in removing him from Cadmus. Batman had no choice but to render him unconscious with force and escape with his limp body in toll._

**Knock-knock**

            Bruce snapped out from the memory, but he didn’t move to get the door. A moment later a presence entered the room.

            “Jon.” He greeted tiredly.

            “You needed my assistance?” The Martian inquired as he neared.

            He mentally called for the other when he arrived on the Watch Tower. “… My son… he was tortured and brainwashed… is there anyway to help him?”

            Jon glanced over to the boy as he rested a hand on his head. “I’ll see what I can do.”

            Bruce remained quiet while the other closed his eyes and entered Terry’s mind. Not even a minute passed when Terry thrashed awake shaking and screaming. Jon backed away as Bruce gathered the trembling boy into his arms. Terry breath was labored as he wrapped his arms around himself tightly.

            “What happened?” Bruce demanded as he held the boy tight.

            The mind reader shook his head as his cape covered his person. “I’m sorry Batman, there’s nothing I can do. The boy rejected me the instant I entered. Had I continued, I fear I may do more harm than help.”

            “… He rejected you?” Bruce frowned.

            “Your son has very strong mental shields. He screamed for me to get out. He was quite adamant about his mind being his.” Jon glanced at Terry again. “I’m not sure what they have done to him, but he has closed himself off to cope with the torture. The only suggestion I could give you is to take him places he finds safe or have him stay around people he trusts. Time will be his healer.”

            “… I see.” He murmured.

            “I’m sure he’ll recover. That child is strong.” The Martian assured.

            “Thank you.” Bruce said quietly as Terry slowly drifted back to sleep in his arms.

o.o.o.o.o

            They stayed at the Watch Tower for as long as Terry slept, once the boy was awake they returned to the manor. Cassandra returned to Barbara when they returned, but within an hour, Terry was gone. Panic went through the manor as they all searched for the boy. The cameras picked up nothing. It was as if Terry vanished. Bruce and his wards panicked and worried, but Alfred knew better.

            “Not to fret Master Bruce, I’m quite certain Master Terry is still on the property.” Alfred reassured the panicked father.

            “Where?” Bruce demanded, his anxiety shown clearly on his face. Tim and Dick had stopped abruptly to listen to the old butler.  

             Alfred said nothing as he led the group on. Words were useless at this point, what the family needed was reassurance. It wasn’t until the old butler led them down a specific hallway that they realized where Terry hid.

Damian’s room.

             They found Ace whining and scratching at the door. It was clear that the dog knew his master was home. Bruce rubbed the dog’s head before he unlocked the door. Terry hadn’t changed the pass codes yet. Ace darted into the room the instant the door opened and sniffed his way to the bottom of the bed. He barked and wagged his tail in excitement.  

             “He’s under the bed?” Dick said in puzzlement as Bruce knelt down and pulled the covers aside.

             “Master Terry had slept in a similar manner his first night here, nearly a year ago.” Alfred quipped as they all watched the boy sadly.

             Terry was curled up in fetal position. His breaths were steady as he slept peacefully without a care. Bruce gathered the boy into his arms and pulled him out with great care. Despite what Cadmus has done to him, he remembered the manor well enough to find his comfort zone. To think it would be Damian’s room of all places was a surprise to all.

             “He’ll get better.” Tim whispered. “We’ll make sure of it.”

             “This won’t happen again.” Bruce murmured as rested Terry’s head against his shoulder.

             The weeks followed after, Bruce Wayne disappeared from Gotham’s social and spent all his time with his newfound son. Terry spoke very little and when he did, it was monotonous and robotic. While Batman still patrolled the nights, Bruce made certain Terry was never alone. Often times Alfred or Tim would be by his side when Bruce could not.

             Unless he was asked to enter the cave, Terry seldom ventured down to the cave himself. He was often found assisting Alfred with chores, cooking, maintenance in the bat cave and first aid. If he wasn’t busy with helping Alfred, he was buried in a book in the study. By the time he returned school, his condition has improved little.

             No longer was he hiding behind a charming and dimwitted façade. He aced through all his school subjects without a single flaw. He barely interacted with any of his peers and he grew ever more distant as time passed.

             Barbara suggested a change of location and time away from Bruce when the man became overprotective. Terry needed more than what Bruce could offer. He needed friends and others he could open up to. It took some convincing by both Alfred and Barbara before the man relented to have Tim take Terry to the Titan’s Tower for a break.

             Tim had no complaints in taking the silent boy. Conner had bothered him for the past two months about Terry’s condition. With Batman’s rule of no metas and super beings in Gotham, Conner wouldn’t dare to enter without permission. Terry had remained quiet, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with their decision. He gave no resistance when Bruce strapped him into one of the older bat-mobiles and warned Tim adamantly to drive safely. It was out of the question to drive Terry by motorcycle.

             Bruce had wanted to take Terry there himself, but Barbara insisted he left Terry in Tim’s capable hands for the time being. Terry said nothing during the whole duration of travel to the tower. His eyes stayed glue to the passing sceneries while Tim attempted to initiate several conversations. Sadly, they all ended with a one-sided commentary from the teen wonder. When they arrived at the tower a small welcome committee greeted them at the garage.

            “Dude! Does Batman know you took his car again?” Garfield asked as he glanced over the vehicle.

            “Bart’s not allowed to drive it.” Tim said bluntly as he circled to the passenger side of the car.

            “Hey! That was just one time!” Bart retorted in a huff.

            “And I was grounded in Gotham for a month.” Tim replied as he dipped into the passenger side.

            The speedster shrugged as he tried to peek over Tim’s shoulder. “So what’s the occasion?”

            “We have a guest staying here for the next few days.” Tim said before a series of clicks noted the seat belts coming off.

            “Guest?” Conner perked up. “You don’t mean…” He whooped for joy when Terry climbed out with Tim’s help.

            “Who’s the kid?” Garfield asked before Conner plowed past him and Bart. Terry was promptly snatched out of Tim’s arms.

            “Beyond!” The super clone said excitedly as he hugged the little boy and chattered incessantly.

            “Conner, don’t…” Tim paused when Terry slapped a hand over the super’s mouth to silence him. There was finally a reaction! Albeit the boy’s facial reaction hadn’t changed in the least, it was something unprompted for a change.

             Conner grinned sheepishly under the boy’s hand before he removed it. “Sorry.” He apologized and continued. “Why don’t I give you a tour? You hungry? We have some awesome snacks.”

             Tim shook his head as he watched the super carry the silent boy into the tower and resumed his chattering again before the young boy snapped his fingers to get the other to stop. Garfield and Bart on the other hand stood with their mouths agape as they pointed a shaking finger at where the two stood previously. 

              “You’re telling me THAT kid is Beyond?” Garfield jaw dropped. “The evil overlord is a little boy?”

              “… Evil overlord?” Tim questioned with a raised brow.

              “You heard him laugh.” Garfield sniped.

              “… In that case you should probably come up with a better nickname for him.” The teen wonder murmured as he grabbed Terry’s duffel bag.

              “Why’d you say that?” Bart asked.

              “The one you called the evil lord thought of twenty ways to kill a woman using only household products and still make it look like an accident.” Tim slung the duffel bag over his shoulder. “Imagine what he could do with the things around the tower?” He hurried off after Conner.

              Bart and Garfield looked at each other briefly. “… You don’t think Tim was just joking… do you?”

              "…Tim jokes?” Bart tilt his head curiously.

o.o.o.o.o

            “Oh who is this?” Cassie gushed when Conner came into the living room with Terry in his arms. The boy flinched at her voice and clung onto Conner.

            “Hey Cass.” The super greeted his girlfriend, but held Terry a little tighter. He could sense the discomfort in his fellow project. “This is Beyond.”

            Cassie was startled, this little boy was Beyond? “He’s a little shy isn’t he?”

            “He’s not feeling well.” Tim answered as he came up from behind. “Conner, I’m taking his stuff to the spare room—”

            “Spare room? He’s bunking with me!” The other said adamantly.

            Tim sighed. “Conner, we have plenty of rooms. Terry can have his own room.”

            The super stuck his tongue out childishly and snatched the duffel bag from Tim’s arm. “No way, Beyond is bunking with me!”

            “Conner.” Tim tried again, but the other ran off with Terry in tow. He sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m not sure if this is better for Terry or worse for Conner.”

            For a week, Terry stayed close to the super clone’s side. He was still quiet for the most part, but physically he seemed relaxed and content. When the day came for them to leave, Tim was confronted with something most unexpected.

            “Come on Terry, it’s time to go.” He said as he tried to pry the boy from Conner’s arms. The quiet boy refused to move. Tim sighed. “Conner if you please?”

            “Oh fine.” Conner muttered with a pout and shifted Terry in his arms to give him to Tim.

            Before Tim could grab Terry, the boy started crying. Everyone was startled when he twisted in Conner’s hold and latched his arms around the super’s neck and bawled against his shoulder.

            “Beyond?” Conner said in confusion as he patted the boy’s back. He made a head motion in an attempt to ask Tim what to do, but the teen wonder was completely lost. Terry had never cried in front of him before.

            “Oh! What did you two idiots do?” Cassie snapped as she tried to comfort Terry, but the boy only bawled even louder.  

            “I don’t think that’s helping Cass.” The super clone said as held Terry closer and rubbed his back soothingly. “Shh, shh, it’s okay. Stop crying Beyond.” He whispered against the boy’s ear.

            “Is he not feeling well?” Kori asked as she watched the boy clench tightly to the other’s shirt. His sobs and hiccups could be heard clearly despite his face pressed against Conner’s shoulder.

            “Making him leave Conner will only distress him further.” Raven spoke up. “It’s probably best Conner return with you.”  

            “Aw… isn’t that sweet?” Bart gushed. “The little evil overlord is attached to Conner.”

            Conner paled as he looked at Tim. The teen wondered sighed as he crossed his arms. “I guess we have no choice.”

            By the time they returned, Terry had cried himself to sleep.

            “What happened?” He growled. Conner cowered behind Tim with Terry in his arms.

            “What do you mean?” Tim pretended nothing happened, but the man held out a remote and pressed a button. The cave echoed with Terry’s crying. “A bug? But where…” Tim trailed off and glanced at Terry. Around the boy’s neck was an inconspicuous pendent.  

            “What happened?” Batman repeated dangerously.

            “He didn’t want to leave Conner.” Tim quickly answered when the man stepped forward dangerously.

            Conner quickly stepped back with Terry still in his arms when Batman turned his attention to him. “I didn’t do anything!” He clenched his eyes shut, terrified.  

            The man said nothing when he pulled Terry out of his arms and walked towards the stairs. Conner peeked an eye open after he heard the cape flutter. Batman was halfway up the stairs when he said “You can come visit him more often.”

            “I guess I’m free to come and go now.” Conner said with a shaking laugh. 

            “You’re probably the first.” Tim commented as he glanced at where Batman was moments earlier. “Batman never gives permission to anyone to come and visit. Not even Superman.”

            Conner gave a wry grin. “Your boss is nice.”

            Tim paused, slowly turning to him with a look of disbelief. “Nice?”

            “He and Beyond are very alike.” He quipped brightly. 

            “He knew I wouldn’t come and visit Beyond without permission.” Conner’s voice became quiet. “Beyond and I have a condition left over from Cadmus. We cannot disobey our superiors.”

            “Superiors?” Tim was startled. “But you don’t have any superiors! You guys are free now!”

            The other shook his head slowly. “We do. For me, it’s pa. I can’t go against what he tells me, unless Beyond says otherwise. He’s the only other I would take orders from. As for Beyond, his immediate superior would have to be his dad Batman.”

            “What? That is ridiculous!” Tim retorted. “Terry is his own person! You are too!”

            “But he doesn’t see that.” Conner interrupted. “I may be able to see it now and even fight it at times, but he can’t.”

            “…What do you mean? Did he say something to you while at the tower?” Tim asked.

            Conner shook his head. “Beyond hasn’t said anything, but I can tell you this. He’s treating this whole situation as if it was a mission.”

            “Mission? How?”

            “He sees himself as a threat to Batman and the only reason he and the rest of you have taken him in, is to neutralize his threat to you all. And from what you told me about him helping Alfred out around the manor, he thinks his objective is to take over for Alfred when he’s gone.”

            “…” Tim became silent.

            “And from how everything is going…” Conner shook his head before giving a bright smile. “No, Beyond will be fine. I’m sure he’ll snap out of it eventually.”

            Tim gave a weak smile. “Let’s hope so.”

o.o.o.o.o

            Conner’s face at the manor became frequent, as did Krypto’s. Change was noticeable in Terry. The only time he took a break from chores was when the super visited and he’d even ventured out onto the estate with Ace in tow in those incidences. It was not odd to see Alfred preparing a seat at the table for Conner to sit with the family at meals. It was almost as if he became an honorary part of the bat clan. His visits were slowly pulling Terry out of his shell. 

            But then, he stopped coming.

            Terry woke up to a quiet manor. Normally by eight, Conner and Krypto would cause enough noise to wake the household. It has been days since they super visited. The super was nowhere in sight, he wasn’t there the day before either. Terry and Ace waited for them at the porch, but only Krypto appeared. The Kryptonian dog’s ears drooped as he neared them with a whimper. He didn’t engage Ace in a playful banter as he normally would. Instead he butted his head against Terry’s hand.

            The super clone was not coming today. The silent boy stood and headed back into the manor. Something strange was going on. Alfred had stopped setting Conner’s place for breakfast after two days. No one asked about the missing super or even spoke to him about why he was gone. Very peculiar. He decided to visit the study and get some reading done if his fellow project wasn’t going to show. That was his plan, until he ran into Tim. The teen wonder looked exhausted and dejected, but he jumped in surprise when he saw Terry.

            “Hey Terry, morning.” He greeted him with a forced smile. His eyes were swollen.

            “Where is XIII?” Terry asked quietly.

            Tim look startled. It was a first time in weeks that Terry openly asked a question. He smiled weakly.  “He’s away on a mission. It’s going to be a long while before he comes back. He said sorry that he couldn’t tell you before he left. It was a last minute thing.”

            Terry stared at him, unmoving. He was not stupid. With the fake smile, the swollen eyes and his unwillingness to look him in the eye when he spoke. Tim was lying to him.  Something happened to the super clone.

             Away on mission?

             A long while before he comes back?

             Last minute?

             All lies.

             “Terry?” Tim asked softly.

             The boy turned his heel and left. XIII wasn’t out on a mission. No, he was dead, KIA most likely. That was always how the projects died. XIII’s death was no different. Terry found himself outside of the manor again where Ace and Krypto was laid mournfully on the front of the porch, not playing, not running.

             They understood XIII was dead.

             He understood he was the last surviving project Cadmus created.

             Everyone else has died, Anna, Galatea, the Ultimen and now XIII. He felt nothing, not even the pulsing pain at his chest when he heard Anna died. He simply accepted they were all dead and there was nothing else that could be done.

             “Master Terry? Breakfast is ready.” Alfred came out to get him.

             The boy said nothing as he walked back into the manor and followed the butler to the dining room. XIII won’t be joining them for breakfast anymore.  

o.o.o.o.o

            For three months, Terry had bugged and hacked his way in search for what happened to his fellow project. The family had tried to keep the information from him in fear that his condition would worsen, but they soon noticed it was pointless. It was impossible to keep such news from the boy. He found his fellow project had died a hero unlike all the other projects.

            It was bittersweet for him to realize that his fellow project would’ve died happy knowing he had done something so selfless and heroic. Terry fell back into his mechanic routines. It wasn’t hard for the family to realize he figured out the truth. Tim prompted a trip to the tower when no one said anything. Bruce had resisted at first, but eventually Alfred managed to persuade him to allow Terry to go and with only a simple tracer.

            The trip to the tower was in silence neither was in the mood to talk. No one was there to welcome them when they arrived. Since the last time he visited there was a number of casualties befallen the Titans. The remaining titans were out on patrol. The tower had lost its liveliness. He and Tim made their way to Conner’s room in silence before Tim finally spoke up.

            “… Do you miss him?” Tim asked when Terry dropped his duffel bag in the corner.

            The silent boy glanced back to him with a slow nod.

            Tim gave a small smile. “Do you want to see him again?” He asked.

            “…” Terry gave him a skeptical look. 

            The teen wonder made his way to the back of the room and knocked a panel loose. A touchpad flipped out before he typed in a pass code. The wall slid open and revealed a descending staircase. Terry stared at the staircase with caution, but Tim held a welcoming hand for him to follow. Something felt wrong, but he didn’t voice out his opinion as he trailed five paces behind Tim. As they descend, the wall closed behind them before a row of lights led further and further down the steps. By the time they’ve reached the bottom, Terry could see a lab and a dedication shrine to Superboy.

            What caught his eyes immediately were the floating bodies in the individual tanks. Each of them held the familiar face of his recently deceased companion. Terry turned his attention when Tim approached the computers.

            “I’ve tried cloning him you know…” The other said quietly.

            Terry said nothing as Tim typed in commands. The tubes glowed briefly as the fluid inside rolled and bubbled. The replica of the late Superboy struggled for a moment before he dissipated altogether.

            “But none of them were ever successful.” Tim continued. “You over looked Conner’s creation didn’t you? You can repeat the process can’t you? What am I missing?”

             Terry stared at him blankly.

             “You miss him too don’t you?” Tim asked as he placed his hands on Terry’s shoulders with a strained smile. “We can bring him back! You know what I’m missing right?”

             The silent boy turned away. Tim looked crestfallen.

             “Is it impossible?” Tim whispered desperately. His eyes stared helplessly at the small boy.

             Terry glanced back at him briefly and brushed off his hands. He made his way to the computer and glided his hands over the keyboard. A glimmer of hope clenched at Tim’s chest as a smile crept up to his face. They were going to revive Conner. It wouldn’t be long before they would see the goofy smile of the super and hear his corny remarks.

              His smile disappeared when the replicas dissipated one after another. The screen blanked as binary codes filled the screen. Tim hurried to the station and pushed Terry aside in an attempt to save all his hard work. He slammed a fist into the computer when nothing he did could save the data.  

             “Why did you do that?” Tim growled angrily. “If you didn’t want to help you could have told me! Why did you—Argh!” He gripped his head in frustration. “I’ll have to restart all over again! It’ll take months! I’ll never be able to bring him back at this rate!”

             Terry tapped his shoulder and pointed at the screen. The binary code disappeared from the screen number by number and in its place was the angry red symbol that once adorned Conner’s chest. Tim stood still as Terry slipped into the shadows and waited out the older boy’s anger. He could understand the logic behind the teen wonder’s actions, but what Tim doesn’t realize was that even if they succeeded in stabilizing the replicas, they were only replicas. It wouldn’t be the happy idiot they were both hoping for. And to replace the happy idiot in this manner would only be a slap to his face.

             “Tim?” A soft voice called from above.

             The teen wonder said nothing his head hung dejectedly. Terry stayed in the shadows as Wonder Girl descended the steps hesitantly with wide eyes as she took in the sight.

             “W-what is this place?” She asked but then she noticed the glowing symbol on the screen. “… What were you trying to do Tim?”

             “… I can’t bring him back.” He whispered.

             Terry glanced to his wristwatch as the two exchanged words of comfort. He had no interest in what they were saying. It was almost time for Tim to call his dad and report back. He was about to speak up when he noticed the two kissing. He breathed through his nose as he slipped towards the duo and stealthily swiped the phone out of Tim’s pocket. Neither of them noticed he left until he was up and out of the hidden lab. He made sure to close the door loudly. He spotted Wonder Girl fleeing from the lab crying not moments later. Tim stayed down below.

            The silent boy pressed the speed dial and waited patiently as the phone rung. “It’s Terry.” He said quietly into the phone. “I’m at the tower…” He waited for his dad to finish before he continued. “Tim is preoccupied… but he’ll call you later.” His dad did not need to know what Tim was doing. If Tim were to stop, he would have to do it on his own. No one could force or convince him otherwise.

            After they returned, Tim spent a week away with Dick. No doubt the other was peeved at what he has done, but Terry wasn’t the least bit bothered by his anger. The teen wonder was grieving; according to the psychology books, it was normal for him to act in such a manner. Without Tim around, Terry spent his time immersed in medical and psychological books. He was alone again.

            At least he thought he was.

            A sudden urge hit him as he reflexively dodged and rolled to his feet in haste. A familiar voice hummed in amusement. “It’s been a while, dead weight.”

            Damian Wayne was back. 


	16. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Running from his grandfather, Damian comes home to a catatonic brother and his father missing yet again. It's a race against time and a thousand ninjas to keep his body from being taken over.

            A week ago, he met his grandfather for the first time in his life. A strange experience for him, considering his grandfather was dead since the last time he checked.

            A month ago, he was learning about said dead grandfather. It was the most dreadful lesson he faced. He and his mother were in the Judea desert when he was required to cram in five hundred years worth of information on said dead man.

            Three months ago, he spotted his father on a television set as he walked through the streets of London with his mother. The deadweight was supposedly found, from what the announcement said he was missing for a good while. He recalled the annoyance he felt, his father looked anxious and exhausted. If the man was acting at all, he was a damn good actor, the whole thing looked sincere. It was possible that his father found out the deadweight is his son.

            Six months ago, his father was proven innocent. It was utter nonsense to him that his father would kill a woman in such a manner. A gun was ridiculous considering what the man could do and the greatest detective in the world couldn’t hide a body? Don’t make him laugh. 

            Eight months ago, he ran away from his mother and her League of Assassins to help his deadweight brother deadweight to uncover who had framed their father. They managed to narrow the suspects down before he was retrieved.  

            Now, he was on the run from his five hundred-year-old grandfather. His mother tried to protect him, but he doubted she could keep him from an army of assassins. He was drugged, attacked and chased through southeast Asia. It was a pain for him to make his way back to US soil and Gotham.

            Sneaking into the manor wasn’t an easy feat either. His right hand was already bloody from one of the falling metal barriers. No doubt deadweight improved the security, he was always one to give him trouble. He should really kill him for making it so bothersome to come home, but he had more pressing matters to attend to. He would over look it this time.

            When he entered the cave, he fully expected an assault from the deadweight, but it never came. The cave was dreadfully silent. He found himself glancing at the keychain-sized alarm for any signs of their father’s return. He needed his father’s help badly and since he entered Gotham, he glanced to this little trinket in hopes that it would tell him if his father was near. The alarm remained silent, not likely his father was home, but he was certain the deadweight or Alfred would know where he was.

            With much caution, he hurried up the steps and into the study. There he found the troublesome deadweight reading as if he hasn’t moved since he was there last. With a mischievous grin, he inched towards his brother testing how close he could get before the other realized he was there. The other sensed him almost immediately and quickly rolled away.

            Damian couldn’t help but smirk at the reaction the other gave in his presence. In the eight months, the other hasn’t lost his touch. “It’s been a while deadweight.”

            He expected some witty wisecrack or sarcasm from the younger boy, but he was greeted with silence. He frowned when he noted the listless eyes. Not a moment later, the boy darted out of the room and down the hall.

            “Hey wait!” Damian shouted as he chased. “Damn it deadweight! I said wait!”

            The other didn’t stop. He led him into the kitchen one of their neutral zones.

            “Master Damian!” Alfred was startled. His return always seemed to have that reaction on the man.

            The older Wayne glared at the other and spoke up. “Where’s father? I need to speak to him.”

            “Master Bruce is away.” Alfred informed.

            “I can see that! Where is he?” Damian snapped. “I need to find him! If he knew what kind of trouble I’m in he’d, he’d…”

            “Calm down, what in heaven’s name is the matter?” Alfred asked calmly.

            “You try calming down with someone trying to _steal_ your body!”

            “What?” Alfred said in disbelief.

            “I’m afraid I don’t know where Master Bruce is, he hasn’t told anyone his whereabouts when he left.” Alfred answered.

            The sound of water could be heard before Damian spotted Terry setting a glass in the sink. It seemed like the younger boy only came in for a drink.

            “But I know who might.” Damian muttered as he stormed after the younger Wayne.

            “Master Damian! Wait, Master Terry isn’t—”

            Nothing Alfred said could reach him, he was long out of the kitchen. He doesn’t know what happened to his brother, but if he were to find his father, he would need all the help he could get. It didn’t take long for him to chase the boy back to the study, when he reached the room, the other was returning the books to the shelves.

            “Deadweight.” He called out to his brother again.

             “Yes?” The younger boy droned.

            “Look deadweight, you can laugh and mock me all you want! But I need to see father. Alfred said he doesn’t know where he is, but you do! Don’t you? I need to speak with father!” Any other time he would never stoop to this level and ask for his help, but he was desperate. There was no one he could trust he could help.

            “… He’s working.” Terry replied, his voice still droned with no emotions.  

            “Is that all you can say?” Damian felt his anger weld up dangerously.

            His fears slowly burned away as rage took over. Forget his creepy old grandfather was after his body. If he were to die, he would beat the living hell out of his deadweight brother first. The instant he crouched, his brother was out of the room and down the halls.

o.o.o.o.o

            Tim returned to patrol Gotham when Bruce left town. As much as he was furious with Terry, he couldn’t fault the boy for what he done. During his time with Dick, he spent a good portion of the time reevaluating himself and Terry. It was selfish for him to think that a clone would be able to replace his dearest friend.

            It wasn’t that Terry didn’t understand his motive the boy knew full well what he was attempting to accomplish. He was blind and Terry opened his eyes to the reality. There was no way he could bring someone back by cloning them And Terry didn’t need to speak to tell him what he sorely needed to know. Terry woke him up by destroying the lab. His best friend wouldn’t have wanted him to bring him back in such a cheap manner. It wouldn’t be him behind that familiar face.

            And the fact Terry never brought up the matter to Bruce showed the boy trusted him to realize this on his own. Conner was right, both Terry and Bruce were soft at heart. They may have high expectations, but they were understanding and lenient.

            Gotham was not as peaceful as he had hoped. There were already five murders. Someone’s loved ones... Someone’s father… Someone’s son… Tim shook his head furiously as he drove back to the cave on his Red Robin. He shouldn’t think about these things, it would only haunt him more.

            When he returned to the cave, he noted something was out of place. There were blood drippings that lead up to the manor. His heart clenched as he hurried up to the study. What if something happened to Terry while he was gone? What if it was another intruder like David Cain? Or worse? Someone who wanted the boy dead… Someone like…

            “Damian!” Tim hissed out when he opened the door. The boy looked furious. Terry raced out of the room with Damian close on his tail. “No.” Tim whispered as he hurried after the boy. He could see the bloodlust in his eyes. He wanted Terry dead.

            “I’m going to fucking kill you! You stupid deadweight!” Damian’s voice roared through the halls.

            “Not with me around, you spoiled brat.” Tim muttered under his breath as he followed Damian’s roar of anger.

o.o.o.o.o

            The two brothers ended up in their second neutral zone, their father’s room. Neither was in a state for conversation.

            “Y-you think you can run away from me?” Damian huffed heavily in irritation as he tried to catch his breath.

Terry was in a similar state. He had no clue why his body bolted in the manner it did. It was as if it had a mind of its own. As much as he wanted to distance himself from his brother, his body remembered him.

            “What? Do you think you’re better then me that you don’t want to talk to me? I just wanted to talk to father damn it! Stop hogging him to yourself!” Damian snapped.

            “Jealous much Damian?” Tim’s voice came from behind before a fist sent the boy flying. “Terry, you okay?”

Terry stared blankly at the two as they argued. His body itched for his death tag belt. His fingers twitched for the familiar trigger on the tranq-gun. His hands reached to his side for a flash bomb he knew that wasn’t there. Why was his mind running scenarios on how to take down Damian?

            “Can’t stand the fact that we have a father?” Damian growled as he sat up and wiped away the blood from his split lip. “Something _you_ don’t have!” He jumped up and charged at Tim with a roundhouse kick.

            Tim blocked the attack and pushed him back. “At least my father wasn’t ashamed of me.”

            “That’s so not true!” The other growled.

            “What are you doing here?” Tim demanded. “Killing Terry won’t help you with your relation with Bruce.”

            “I need his help!” Damian snapped irritably.

            “ _You_ need help Damian, but not from Terry or Batman!”

They circled one another.

            “Hey! This isn’t funny! I really do need help! That old monster is going to kill me and steal my body!”

            “What old monster?” Tim paused cautiously.

            “My grandfather, Ras al Ghul!” Damian snapped.

            “I thought someone devious like you would be up a better lie than that. Ras is dead.” Tim retorted.

            “I’m not lying you stupid bird brain!” He had enough of Robin belittling him. His brother will help him whether he liked it or not. A violent bark came from the outside. Damian froze as he glanced to the window with cold sweat coming down the side of his face. “Tt, it’s too late, they’re here.”

            “Who’s here?” Tim asked.

            Damian didn’t answer as he quickly dropped to the ground and he swept Terry off his feet and promptly kicked him under the bed. “Fucking stay there for all I care! You’re useless now if they catch you. I’ll find father myself!”

            Just as he was out of sight, the windows shattered and in came an invasion of ninjas.

            “Shit!” Tim cursed as he quickly pulled out his staff to fended against the attackers. “What the hell did you do Damian?”

            The other boy drew out his sword defensely. “I told you! The old bastard wants my fucking body! I’m not going to give it to him that easily. So shut up and fight!”

o.o.o.o.o

            The manor swarmed with ninjas from the League of Assassins when Dick returned via the Justice League transporter. Bruce warned him that Damian might return to the manor to seek for their help. Ras was back and he was in search for a new body. Which meant the brat hell to their doorstep with half the occupants defenseless against a large-scale attack. He found Alfred crashing through the second floor window when he materialized. He barely managed to catch the elderly butler before he met his doom.

            “Really Alfred, fighting ninjas?” Dick drawled.

            “Master Dick.” Alfred sighed in relief as the other set him down. “They’re everywhere!”

            “It’s okay, I got it.” The acrobat surveyed the area. There was nothing on the ground level, but with a quick glance up and he found a horde of ninjas descending on him.

            One after another he made his way through the horde. He tossed whoever dared swung a weapon to his face and knocked out whoever was unfortunate to get in his way. An army of ninjas was overkill for one little boy, even if the little boy was Bruce’s demon spawn son Damian.

            “I’m certain you can do this all night, but you have to get inside. Master Terry is in no condition to retaliate.” Alfred said as they dodged at the attacks.

            “Hang on.” Dick shouted. “Voice pattern beta active perimeter charge north front!” He fired a grappling hook before the lawn-taser activated. He was grateful that Bruce had the foresight to plant all these traps on the front lawn. “We need to prep a jet, once we’re done here. We’re going on a long trip.”

            “Understood Master Dick, please do be careful.” Alfred said as they separated and went their own ways.

            Dick surveyed the area and searched for signs of conflict, the fight lead down to the cave. He made quick work of unsuspecting ninjas and hurried down. He spotted Damian and Tim fighting side-by-side against unfavorable numbers. Tim look exhausted, but at the sight of Damian’s attire, he wanted to knock some sense into the boy. Who said he was allowed to wear a Robin costume? He quickly jumped down with two Escrima truncheons in hand and blocked the various incoming swords.

            “Thanks for coming.” Tim said gratefully as he leaned against his idol’s back.

            “You okay?” Dick asked. “Where’s Terry?

            “Losing steam. And hopefully Terry better off than us.” The teen wonder grumbled. “I’d do better if the brat would just listen to me.”

            “Your tactics are flawed!” Damian retorted as he kicked a ninja away.

            “Such a prince isn’t he?” Tim commented dryly as he and Dick surveyed the situation.

            “A demon prince.” Dick agreed. “Fold into position.”

            “I rather fold him into a suitcase.” Tim muttered as they slipped into a defensive stance.

            “Why are you going on the defense? Are you afraid of losing or are you a coward?” Damian snapped as he kicked off from another ninja.  

            “He really is a prince.” Dick grunted as he blocked and parried.

            “Heir to the kingdom of the damned.” Tim replied snippily.

            “I can hear you!” Damian growled, but was unable to do much else.

            “Your point?” Tim cried out in pain as a blade sliced past his armor.

            “Robin?” Dick shouted, unable to glance back from the assault.

            “I-I’m okay.” He grunted, his hand pressed against the open wound on his shoulder.

             Damian snorted. “You deserved it.”           

            “Shut it Damian.” Dick gritted his teeth as he searched for an exit. Tim was exhausted, and it was impossible for him to protect both him and Damian at the same time. The elevators were blocked they had no backup. “Follow me,” He hauled Damian under his arm and launched a grappling hook.

            “What the hell are you doing?” The boy complained as they swung about the cave and landed atop the giant penny. “Let go! You’re embarrassing me!” 

            “You do that fine on your own.” Dick turned to Tim. “On three.” He made a motion before the two kicked the giant penny on their foes. “Where it Bruce when you need him?”  

            “Ditto that.” Tim added.

            “Why don’t you ask the deadweight? I’m sure he knows.” Damian hissed.

            “You are not bringing him up now!” Tim growled.

            “WE HAVE ENOUGH OF YOU DANG NINJAS!” A female voice roared over a machine gun from the elevator. Within seconds a path was cleared.

            “Now what?” Tim grumbled as he spotted three homicidal women surrounded by corpses.

            “Probably also after Damian.” Dick muttered, but quickly realized they were not against them. They might actually have a chance now.

            “Tt!” Damian hissed as blades pressed against his throat. “A little help!”

            Tim turned and spotted Damian’s strife. “Damn it! Stay where you are! I’m coming!” Tim shouted, but he too was soon captured.

            “I guess I’m forced to at least thank you for _trying_.” The boy muttered.

            “ROBIN!” Dick shouted, but he couldn’t reach them. The women had fallen, they were all poisoned from what he could see. He couldn’t leave them for death, but he needed to save his little brothers. “Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!”

o.o.o.o.o

            His body remained still after he curled up. The kick to the stomach stung. It has been a while since he last felt pain, but it was nothing compared to what he experienced in Cadmus. He was surprised that Damian restrained himself at all. Any other time, the other boy would’ve left him with internal bleeding or something fractured. This kick was nothing. The pain was over almost as soon as it started.

            He could hear the conflict between Damian and Tim as intruders entered the room. The scuffle, the battle cries, it sounded like a violent fight. Furniture and glass broke as bodies crashed and slammed into each piece. He stayed still until the noise stopped.

            His mind raced amidst the chaos. All this was for Damian. The older boy came back in search for Batman’s help against a body snatcher. From the heavy breathing, the perspiration and the trickle of blood from his hand he had struggled much to reach them. Why hadn’t he stayed with Alfred and contacted his father through the old butler was beyond him. 

            Instead, the older boy came at him again and again. He demanded _him_ to help him. Why would he want the help of a project? Why was he even in his radar? Damian was the rightful heir to Bruce Wayne. He was just was clone, what position does he have? Why would he bother?

            … It confused him greatly.

            Damian hid him the moment he senses hell was coming upon the manor. Why would he hide someone he wanted him dead from the first moment they met? Wouldn’t it be convenient to let him die amidst the chaos of intruders? Why did he protect him? Why did he keep him alive? Was it reverse psychology? Had he left him alive to contact Batman for him?

            … It doesn’t seem so.

            Damian Wayne was not strong in logic or reasoning. Rarely was a thought processed before he reacted. Everything he done up to this point was on whim and in his own interest. What interest did he have in keeping him alive? What merits does he get from doing this?

            …

            …

            …

            Terry felt the corners of his lips twitch up as he shook his head. “The idiot.” He whispered.

             Unlike the others, Damian knew he shared their father’s blood from the start. He cared little of Terry’s history then and likely the older boy could care less about his Cadmus origins now. To Damian, Terry was his hated brother. He was someone that needed to be eliminated, but with how Damian protected him. It seemed like his death was reserved for him and him only.

            “What a selfish brat.” Terry murmured in amusement. Somehow, it felt touching that the other didn’t think of him as a project. 

            Once the commotion ceased, Terry crawled out from under the bed. It was silent, but the room was a mess. Glass shards from the broken windows and vases, blade marks in the walls and door. Blood stained the floor with debris from broken furniture. It was ten times worse than what he and Damian did on a regular basis. He cautiously peeked through the broken windows and down to the grounds. It looked no better outside.

            A bark drew his attention away from the window and he found Ace galloping into the room. His dog had made it through the mess relatively unscathed. The hound sniffed and nuzzled him, excited to see him unharmed as well.

            “Master Terry!” Alfred followed into the room in relief as he raced to his side. “Are you all right?”

            The man fussed over him as he lifted his chin and patted him down for injuries. Terry felt a flutter of warmth at the elderly butler’s worried eyes. Being a project… meant nothing. He was still Terry to them.

“Come now, we must find Master Dick.” The old butler ushered him out of the room and down the ruined halls.

            There were damages left and right nothing survived the violent exchange. Dick was in the medic bay with the strange women when they approached.

            “You found him.” Dick looked relieved when he spotted Terry by Alfred’s side. “Is he hurt or anything?”

            “Not even a scratch sir.” Alfred answered. “How are the ladies?

            “I administered an anti-venom. It looks like they’ll make it.” Dick grinned as he ruffled the boy’s hair. “You’re one lucky kid huh? We wouldn’t know what we’d do if we lost you again kid.”

            Terry found himself enjoying the attention very much, despite the person tousling his hair was not his father.

            Dick paused as he placed his hands at his hips and turned to the destroyed cave. “I hope Tim and the demon brat is all right…” He sighed and clapped his hands. “All right, let’s get these women to the hospital first.”

            “The ladies should be fine Master Dick, but there’s another matter we have to attend to.” Alfred interrupted. “We cannot take Master Terry with us, it’s too dangerous.”

            “I know…” Dick knelt down in front of the younger boy with his hands on his shoulders. “I really don’t want to do this, but I need you to stay behind. I know this is asking a lot, but can you take care of yourself until we get back?

            “…” Terry said nothing. He didn’t want to stay behind. He walked through the mess and gathered the freeze gun and various little weapons. He wanted to join them, to help them.

            “We’ll try to come back as soon as we can.” Dick pulled the younger boy in a one-arm hug. “If the worse happens, call Babs okay?”

            Terry did no such thing. When they weren’t looking he stowed away in their aircraft. It was a snug fit and dreadfully long ride, but they reached the Gonggar airport in hours. When they transferred to a local plane, Terry took the distraction of Ras al Ghul’s men in order slip from the jet followed them to the next aircraft. Fortunately, the compartments in the new aircraft were more spacious.  

            He dared not relax during the trip. The pressure changes in the cabin popped his ears. The irregular flight patterns made him sick to his stomach and he swore he heard the door the roaring winds from an open door at one point. Someone left during midflight.  

o.o.o.o.o

            Damian pressed his back against the dark caves as he waited for his grandfather’s men to pass. When he and Tim were brought to Ras al Ghul they attempted to fight their way out. He of course left the teen wonder halfway through the fight and ran. Though, he supposed it made no difference when a unit of ninjas captured him not long after.

            When he saw Drake again, the other was knocked out, the bruise on his chin looked like a stun punch. He waited in cold terror for the moment his grandfather—no, he will not grace that man with the title grandfather. The man was going to steal his body. His only regret he had was that he didn’t beat the living daylights out of the stupid deadweight.

            He thought it was hopeless until his father and mother came and attempted to bargain for his and Drake’s lives. Though, with him and Drake under blade and hold of Ras’s men, there was little they can do to save them. Ras seemed to enjoy games and gave the man a chance to duel him. Naturally, Batman was faster and landed a piercing blow into Ras’s side. The attack did nothing. Ras gave a raspy laugh, the corpse body was only temporary. He was to transfer to a new vessel soon.

            Damian shuddered, it won’t be long before the ghoul took his body. The monster offered a chance for Batman to choose which body he would take. Drake or his. He gritted his teeth as he fought against his racing heart. Why was Ras doing this? For a moment, he feared that his father would choose Drake over him. There wasn’t once that he had gained his father’s attention or affection. The odds were against him.

            Yet, his father surprised him when he offered his own body in exchange for their safety. Damian wasn’t sure was he proud of his father’s selflessness or angry that Ras would have his father’s body. The old ghoul refused the exchange he wanted a younger body.

            With Ras counting down to which body he would take, Batman had no choice but to take Ras to the Fountain of Essence in exchange for their safety. The fountain was a mystical spring that rejuvenates the body without the harmful effects of the Lazarous Pits. He and Drake were kept, as commodity, while they left for the springs, but Ras was not to be trusted.

            Not even ten minutes after their departure the White Ghost arrived to detain them. Damian was peeved that Drake actually considered helping Ras for a chance to study the Lazarous Pits.

            Damian knew one could never trust anyone over the age of thirty especially those who live more than thirty lifetimes. Oh forget Robin, he has to hurry before they took off. His mother tried to take him to safety, but he refused. She loved him and gave him everything he could ever as for, but truthfully, she never gave him what he needed. Besides, his father was way cooler in his opinion.

            “Well, well, who do we have here?”

            “Fuck…” Damian hissed before he was surrounded.

o.o.o.o.o

            After a taxing ordeal and a stressful epiphany, Tim followed Dick out of the League of Assassins’ cave. He would admit the chance to revive his dad, Stephanie and Conner was enticing, but he knew better now. The dead should be left a rest.

            Even so, there wasn’t a moment of rest as they rushed back to the plane. Neither of them had a clue to where Bruce and Ras gone, but Talia was than knowledgeable in their whereabouts. She looked like she just took out an army of assassins. Drenched in blood, her clothes were torn and she rested two giant axes on her shoulder. Their brief exchange concluded Batman and Ras was in Nanda Parbat and likely Damian was captured again. Their rendezvous with Alfred should’ve been a peaceful affair, but Talia noted something strange within the cabin.

            “You have a stowaway.” She kicked open one of the compartments before a small figure tumbled out in a heap at their feet. 

            “Terry!” Tim quickly knelt down to the ground and helped the boy up. “What are you doing here? How did you get here?”

            “Hmm?” Talia hummed as she glanced over the small boy. “Is he the missing son my beloved searched for the last few months?”

            Tim and Dick tensed as they glanced back to her. To her, Damian should be the only son Batman has. If she thought Terry was a threat to Damian she’d…

            “Only in name Ms. Talia.” The boy spoke politely much to the surprise of the two birds in the cabin. “I’m only here to bring medical supplies and assist in first aid. You and Alfred were in a rush when you left the cave.”

            “Bring medical…” Dick was speechless.

            “Would you be requiring medical assistance Ms. Talia?” He asked.

            The woman grinned in amusement. “It seems beloved has picked up a second butler rather than a ward this time.”

            Neither Tim nor Dick could relax while Terry was within reach of Talia. The boy deftly treated her injuries with care, but once he was done Tim pulled him protectively behind him. Dick seated himself between them and Talia. Needless to say, they value the safety of Bruce’s youngest. Regardless if Talia saw him as a threat, they were not taking chances. Who would want to be the one to explain to Batman that his jealous love interest decided to kill his son? 

            Even so, they noticed a certain spark to Terry’s eyes that they haven’t seen in months, but their reunion would have to wait until Bruce was back and the family was whole again.

o.o.o.o.o

            When they arrived, the battle has started down below. At this distance, one can only imagine the carnage that occurred. Dick left Terry in Alfred’s care before he and the others joined to help Batman. The old butler scolded him for following them into danger when they told him to stay behind.

            Terry said nothing he worried the old butler enough. There was no need to stress him any further. If all goes well, his father, Tim and Dick would return with minor injuries and nothing fatal. If not… he rather not think about it. 

            Once his scolding was over, Alfred prepped the plane for immediate take off for when they return. Terry on the other hand checked over the medical supplies over and over again to past the time. Ten bags of blood, fifteen rolls of bandages, two boxes of band-aids, thirty-five yards of thread for stitching, six needles, iodine, rubbing alcohol and other miscellaneous items.

            He was on his tenth count when a loud explosion came from outside. He hurried to the windows and spotted the valley in flames, but the silhouettes hurrying to the plane lifted his heart. He dashed towards the cockpit and signaled for Alfred to ready for take off. It wasn’t long before the plane dipped with the weight of the three men. He snuck an anxious look from the cockpit, worried for their well-being, but at the sight of his father’s familiar cowl he couldn’t hold back. 

            “Dad!” He darted forward and hugged his father tightly around the waist.

            “… Terry?” The man whispered. “You’re…” He smiled and pulled his son into a tight embrace.

            Terry melted into the hug, he finally belonged.

o.o.o.o.o

            Elsewhere, Damian woke up from the unwelcoming knockout dealt by his mother. Shortly after he was captured—again—he was taken to Nanba Parbat for Ras to finally transfer into his body. However, this time, his father made no attempt to negotiate.

            “Don’t touch my son!” He roared furiously as he attacked.

            It was the first time he heard him call him son. It warmed his heart, but he was far from safe. He could only thwart Ras for so long.  Not to mention the deranged family war he found himself in. They were attacked by the League of Assassins along with the men of Ras’s father of all people. With their team of five, they were at a major disadvantage.

            His mother protested against him in joining the violent skirmish, but he refused to let his father down. His father was treating him like he was part of the family. Whatever he asked of his Robins, he asked the same of Damian. He wanted to prove his worth to his father, but he never had a chance, his mother knocked him out and dragged him off. He growled when he awoke to an unfamiliar ceiling.

            “Finally awake Damian?” She drawled.

            “I wanted to help father!” Damian snapped as he jumped out of bed.

            “I will not lose you! You are my son and I see fit to care for you safety.” She snapped. “As long as you’re an al Ghul, you will listen to me!”

            “I don’t want to be an al Ghul then!” He snapped back.

            “Don’t say things you can’t take back son.” She warned dangerously as she walked towards the door. “Now rest. Someone will bring you food soon enough.”

            Damian fumed silently as she left. He had no interest in staying and planned to sneak out through the window until he realized where he was. The flashing red lights, the big Chinese characters and the horrible fish market smell. He was in Hong Kong a long way from Gotham.

            “Tt.” He clicked his tongue in annoyance. This might take a while. He searched his pockets hoping to find anything his mother may have missed when she took away all his weapons, but the only thing he found was his brother’s alarm. He snorted, clenching to the smooth pointed alarm in his hand as he climbed out the window. If the deadweight could make his way back home, so can he. 


	17. Epilogue: Thoughts of Beyond

            “You know Bruce isn’t going to be happy when he realizes I brought you here.” Tim his helmet on the seat and helped the younger boy off his motorcycle. He and Terry had snuck to Titan’s Tower without telling Bruce. With the other boy so small, hiding him under Robin’s cape while they sped out of the cave was no trouble.

            “He’s already grounded me from joining any actual field work until I’m over twenty, what more can he do to me now?” Terry said dryly as he pulled off his own helmet.

            “Be happy that’s all he’s grounding you with.” Tim commented. After Terry’s recovery, Bruce decided to recount the boy’s time in Metropolis and Central before he came into his care.

            “It’s not like anyone died.” He complained.

            “Think of it this way, you’ll have more time to perfect your witty banter.” Tim smirked.

            “Very amusing Tim, where _do_ you get your material?” Terry drawled sarcastically as the other laughed.

            It was quiet. The titans were either out in their civilian identities or patrolling. Twilight ghosted over the tower. They hadn’t come to the tower to meet with the other titans. They came for another reason. Tim pushed the doors of the entrance open and led Terry down the pathway next to the waterfall. There, they jumped over the small ledge and onto a small island that hosted a statue of Superboy.

            “Well, here we are.” Tim sighed as he glanced up at the statue of his late friend.

            “It’s gaudy.” Terry commented, but nonetheless he pulled out a single rose from a slender box. Alfred had taken one from his rose garden and given it to him earlier that morning. The butler was quite aware of what he and Tim planned.  

            “It’s too bad that Metropolis is so busy and filled with tourists. We could have gone to his grave there.” Tim said quietly as the younger boy set the rose down in front of the statue.

            “The idiot probably enjoys it here more than Metropolis.” Terry said as he glanced up to the clear blue skies. “Open space, sunshine, nothing like Cadmus.”

            “Want to stay for a few more days?” Tim asked. “I could call Bruce.”

            “I said he would enjoy it.” Terry said bluntly. He stood and jumped back over the small ledge.

            Tim shook his head in amusement as he followed the boy. “Spoken like a true bat.” The darkness of the night was much preferred than the brightness of the day.

            They headed to Conner’s room for Terry to set his things down. It became a routine for them to house the boy in the room of his late friend. However, before they reached their destination Tim caught the sharp sound of metal before he tackled Terry to the ground. He pulled his Kevlar cape over him and the small body. Imbedded on the wall above them was an R-shaped shuriken.

            “What on earth?” Tim started, but quickly jumped to his feet. He hauled Terry with him as he ran down the hall, the sound of metal whistled through the air again as more of these R-shaped shurikens imbedded the ground where they stood earlier.

            “Let me go here.” Terry whispered to Tim.

            “You’re going to get hurt!” The older teen hissed.

            “Then you be the distraction.” Terry said as he slipped out of the teen wonder’s grasp.

            Whoever the attacker was, he wasn’t after Terry. The younger boy ran off to one of the modules and searched for the other titans. A quick glance over the cameras, he spotted all of them knocked out and sprawled on the ground in various rooms. They didn’t seem to be in any danger, but that only meant they weren’t the target either.

            “He’s after Tim.” He concluded and sent a message back to his father. There was an instant response from the other man. He was coming.

            He knew he was no match for whoever this was, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t hide and study the attacker. With quick glide of his hands over the module’s keys, he scanned over the cameras and spotted Tim and his attacker in the memorial for fallen Titans.

            Tim face another person donned in a Robin costume. One that Terry recalled in the display cases in the bat cave. The one Damian wore quite frequently. However, the one fighting Tim in the memorial was not his brother. This stranger was much older, probably closer to Dick’s age compared to Tim. He glanced through the applications and quickly turned on the sound. He raised the volume to the camera in the memorial hall.

            “Just who the hell are you?” Tim’s voice came through the speakers as he twirled his staff to block the other Robin’s attacks.

            “I’m Robin!” The other growled. “I’m the real Robin! I’m supposed to be at Batman’s side! Not you!”

            “You couldn’t be…” Tim was startled as recognition crossed his face. “Jason Todd?”

            The other took the opening and knocked the other to the ground. He pounded him furiously with every word he said. “How—” Punch. “Can—” Punch. “He replace me?” He slammed Tim to the ground. “Not only that, he didn’t kill the Joker! That fucking bastard is still running around harming other people!”

            Tim kneed the other off him before he rolled aside. He spat blood as he crawled to him knees. “Where are the titans?”

            “They deserved whatever I gave them!” The other growled as he thrust his arm angrily at the other statues. “He wasn’t the only one that replaced me! I was a fucking titan too! But no! Apparently, they’re all happy with you! You stupid replacement!” He snarled as he kicked Tim soundly in the chest. The teen wonder flew and coughed violently. No doubt something had fractured by now.

             Terry frowned as he grabbed the microphone and flipped on the intercom system. If this continued, Tim would die. “And what are you? A dead reject bent on getting revenge?”

             “You idiot! Don’t—” Tim was silenced with another violent kick to the chest.

             “Seems like a missed one, who is this?” The young man Jason said as he glared up at the camera.

             Terry ignored his question and continued. He needed to drag this on as long as he could until his father came. “I read your file Jason Todd. The one who caught Batman’s attention by stealing the tires off his bat mobile. The one who eventually took over the Robin mantle after the first Robin became Nightwing.” He paused briefly to study the other. “The one who Joker kidnapped and beaten to death with a crowbar. Your sob story isn’t the first I’ve heard. Joker killed plenty more, some even more grotesque than yours.”

             The other visibly tensed and growled. “And who the hell are you to judge me?”

             “It’s not a judgment it’s a statement.” Terry said bluntly. The hot-headedness of the former Robin reminded him very much of his homicidal brother. “If you’re angry over that poor excuse of a clown, get in line. You’re not the first and you won’t be the last.”

             “What do you know?” He snapped. “You weren’t beaten and left for death!”

             “And that gives you the right to act as a petulant child?”

             “Child?” Jason barked out a harsh laugh. “You don’t sound all that old yourself sunshine.” He snarled. “Why don’t you show yourself and we have a little fun?”

            “Don’t!” Tim latched onto the other’s legs. “Stop baiting him and hide you idiot!” Jason kicked Tim roughly in the side.

            “Taking your anger out on him won’t help you in the least. He’s merely fulfilling the role you failed to uphold.” Terry said coldly.

            “Failed!” Jason growled. He paused as if he heard something. “Tsk.” His anger cooled, but signs of irritation still showed.  He kneeled down and grasped Tim’s head by his hair. “You think you’re better than me in being a Robin?” He tightened his grip on the other’s hair. “Well?”

            “Yes.” Tim answered despite his bloodied face.

            Jason growled and ripped the R off Tim’s costume. He turned to the cameras with a glare. “You’re next brat.”

            The camera shorted out after the camera was destroyed. Terry wasn’t stupid to stick around when the other was likely coming after him next. He made a mad dash to Conner’s room and locked himself in the lab Tim built below the super’s room. The security features were considerably better than the last time her was there. Not only that, the cloning equipment were offline and in the process of being dismantled. Fortunately, the underground lab had access to the security cameras. The reason Jason left so hastily wasn’t to search for him. It was because Batman and Nightwing arrived.

            Even so, he made certain to watch the cameras until his father asked for him to come out. He was not risking a confrontation with the former Robin.

o.o.o.o.o

            Tim was once again kept from active duty until his injuries healed. This made it the second time he seen the teen wonder out of commission.

            “How are you injuries coming along?” Terry asked as he set the tray of medical supplies down. Jason’s attack on the tower was a week ago.

            “Fractured bones tend to crack more easily on repeated assaults.” Tim commented as the other helped him with the bandages. Alfred left to pick Bruce up from the company an hour ago. Tending to Tim’s injuries was his job until he returned.  “It seems like you’re always there when I get beaten to a pulp.”

            “Hmm…” Terry hummed in response. “Look at it this way, you can use the time to perfect your witty banter.”

            Tim chuckled, but regret it when he winced in pain. “At least you can still joke about it.”

            “Don’t laugh too hard, you’ll agitate your injuries.” Terry said as he gathered the old bandages and tossed them into a rubbish bin.

            “How’s Bruce coping?” Tim asked after a moment of silence.

            “He told Alfred this changes nothing.” Terry responded. “So I assume you’ll be returning to patrols once you’ve recovered.”

            “And Jason?” Tim asked.

            Terry shrugged. “Hasn’t appeared since his attack at Titan’s Tower. Dad’s still searching.” He turned to leave he room.

            “Terry.” Tim called out from his bed. The other glanced back. “What you did at the tower was really stupid. You could have gotten yourself killed.”

            “I am aware of that.” He replied.

            Tim smirked. “Then you are aware that you just did something very stupid without merits right?”

            Terry said nothing as he turned to leave again.

            “For what it’s worth. Thanks Ter. I owe you one.” Tim said before the other closed the door.

o.o.o.o.o

            _No merits?_ Terry walked down the halls with the tray of remaining bandages. Did he really do something so foolish without any gain?

            The halls were quiet. His footsteps were trained to be silent, which made his thoughts so much louder in his mind. He set down the tray at the study and opened the grandfather clock.

            “Ridiculous.” He muttered as he walked down the steps. He didn’t save Tim for nothing. He gained the trust of the other and a favor.

            He stopped at the base of the stairs when he heard footsteps. Someone was in the cave. He maneuvered about the upper level in an attempt to spot the intruder. To his surprise, the intruder was none other than Jason Todd, the former Robin. Terry quickly slipped towards his stash of weapons he hid around the cave. Whether it was to deal with Damian or another threat like Cain, he was prepared. But he was not insane to face Jason head on. He pressed on the distress signal on the pendent tracer to alert his dad to come home faster.

            “You have issues JJ.” Terry drawled as he stayed on the upper levels of the cave. “You do know you can be charged with breaking and entering, along with vandalism. You’re not selling yourself as a former Robin very well.”

            “You again.” Jason growled. “Why the hell are you everywhere? Shouldn’t you be at the tower, Titan?”

            “I never said I was apart of the Titans. You just assumed I was.” He commented dryly.

            “So you’re another one of Bruce’s sob-story wards.” Jason snorted. “Well, seems like you’re the Robin in-waiting. Too bad you were too stupid to just let that replacement die. Or else you would’ve gotten the Robin mantle already.”

            “I have no interest in that useless title.” Terry responded. “Why do you assume I want to dress up like a walking target and pretend to be useful?”

            “Useless?” Jason snarled. “Come out here coward and I’ll show you useless!” He stormed about the cave searching for him. Terry knew the echoes in the cave made it difficult to pinpoint where he hid.

            “Tim could’ve beaten you if he wasn’t preoccupied at the tower. He’s definitely the better Robin compared to you.” He antagonized the young man. It was the only way hotheads like him and Damian would listen.

            “Who the hell are you to judge which of us is better? You’re nothing more than a snot-nosed brat!” The former Robin snapped furiously.

            “Tim didn’t became a Robin because of Batman’s kind heart to take in strays.” Terry interrupted him. “Tim became a Robin because Batman was terrified him. He was intelligent, a mad scientist in the making. He scared Batman into thinking he might turn to the ways of crime if he turned him away.”

            Jason growled furiously. “He’s nothing but a replacement!”

            “Hmm, hmm, ha, ha ,ha!” Terry let out a dark laugh. “Weren’t you a replacement as well?” The other became silent. “You replaced Dick, the first Robin because he quit. Tim replaced you, the second Robin because you gone and got yourself killed. Do you want to know _how_ Tim got the mantle or Robin?”

            “...” He got the older boy’s attention.

            “He figured out who Batman is and decided he _needed_ a Robin. You can probably blame Dick for being such a showoff during his Robin years that Tim figured out he was a circus boy Bruce Wayne adopted. Anyone holding the Robin mantle should know they’re going to be replaced someday. No one can be the boy wonder forever.”

            “Hmph.” Jason snorted. “Then you’re probably going to be the one replacing him. Your voice still cracks.”

            “No, there’s already someone stupid enough in line for the title. This idiot had the galls to point a sword at Batman’s neck on their first meeting.” He drawled. He found out this little tidbit about Damian during one of their many death tags. There really weren’t much they could talk about while trying to kill or run from the other.

            “Why are you telling me this? To rub in it my face?” Jason growled as he walked up to the upper levels. 

            Terry swung down to the lower levels to access the security cameras on the bat computer. “I think I’ll rub it in Dick’s face too.” He allowed the echo carry his voice.

            “Come out you brat!” Jason snapped.

            “You’re wasting your second chance in life with something as ridiculous as revenge.” Terry said before he left the bat computer. Staying in the open for too long was an unhealthy risk. “What you’re doing is pointless. It’d only serve to amuse the Joker without him needing to raise a finger to do a thing. You’re doing his job for him. Is that what you really want? To succeed Joker in making Batman miserable?”

            “You know nothing.” Jason snarled quietly.

            “You pitiful little bird.” Terry drawled as he hurried to the next shadow. “It’s nothing personal, but it seems all five of you Robins share the same mindset. _You know nothing, how could you ever understand,_ and of course, _you don’t care._ ”

            “Five?” Jason frowned as he cautiously walked back down to the lower levels.

            “You, Dick, Tim, the idiot that will be replacing Tim eventually and a dead girl named Stephanie. You’re not the only Robin that died in Batman’s service. I must say. Even _she’s_ a better Robin than you were. Though it was due to her own screw up that she ended up dying, but at least she died trying to help Batman, unlike you who foolishly went off chasing the woman who abandoned you as a child. Then getting killed by the likes of the Joker.”

            Jason ruffled his head in frustration. “What are you interested in brat, if you’re brushing off the Robin mantle like that? I doubt you can hang around Bruce and not want any part of his work.” He was trying to make him talk more in an attempt to find him.

            “I am interested, don’t get me wrong on that.” Terry said as he glanced over to the screens of the bat computer. “Just only the position I’m interested in won’t be open for a long while.”

            It took a moment, but the former Robin finally realized what position he wanted.“… You want the mantle of Batman?” He said in disbelief.

            “So there is a brain buried in all that hotheadedness.” Terry commented dryly.

            Jason snorted. “Don’t make me laugh kid, what makes you think that old bastard would give _you_ the Batman mantle?”

            “You really want to know?” Terry found his thoughts drifting to Damian with an amused grin. Both he and Jason were so easy to bait. Jason was silent. Terry had him completely concentrated in his search. “True, dad won’t give me the mantle now. I wouldn’t be able to handle Gotham on my own yet, but I’m sure I’ll be able to convince him to retire in the future when I’m ready.”

             “Bullshit! He doesn’t have any sons!”

            “You’ve been dead for quite a while little bird. Unless you can prove otherwise, I am the son of the night.” He said.

            “That old bastard couldn’t keep a woman for his life! It’s not possible!” Jason snapped furiously as he tossed his R-shaped shurikens about the cave, not caring for accuracy. He just wanted the chance a stray shuriken would hit the boy.

            “Time’s up little bird, dad’s home.” Terry said cheerfully.

            “Bluffs won’t work with me brat! You can’t mess with me!” Jason snarled.

            “But I’m not lying.” Terry chirped. “If you turn around and look at the bat computer, you can see that Alfred is coming back with dad in the limousine.” And indeed coming in from the front gates in a speedy manner was the limo.

            Jason cursed loudly before he dropped his bag and hurried to the lower levels. He stole Tim’s motorcycle. The motorcycle revved up loudly before he sped down the runway. Terry waited in the shadows until his worried father came rushing down from the study. He was scolded yet again for his recklessness. However, their attention on him quickly shifted as they reasoned to why Jason was in the cave.

            In the bag Jason dropped, they found spray paint and various vandalizing equipment. It was very likely Jason came to destroy the cave. However, what caught their attention the most was the bloody crowbar. That was all they needed to know what the other was planning.

            “He’s going after the Joker.” Terry concluded as Bruce hurried to the computers.

            “Joker is still in Arkham.” He muttered. “But not for long.”

            “Master Bruce, you don’t think…” Alfred trailed off.

            “Terry, you stay with Tim. Call if something happens.” Bruce ordered before he suited up and hopped into the bat mobile.

            Terry said nothing as he done as he was told. The chance of Jason returning was unlikely. He could recall that look of anger on his face. Galatea shared that same look, that look of determination, that look of certainty. It was right before she left to attack the Watch Tower.

            “Something wrong Ter?” Tim asked when he walked into his room and plopped down in the chair next to his bed.

            “It’s nothing, dad just thought I should keep you company.” He answered.

            Tim raised a brow, not believing him in the slightest. “Something happened?”

            “Jason was here a while ago.” Terry answered truthfully.

            “What?” Tim jolted but regretted immediately at the sharp pain in his side.

            “Don’t worry, dad’s dealing with it now.” He said while the other settled back down under his covers.

            Tim gave a sigh. “I don’t know how you stay so calm with all this excitement. You don’t have to stay here if you rather go to the cave and—”

            “It’s fine.” Terry responded bluntly, there was nothing else he could do. He was grounded from active duty. “Is there anything you need?”

            Galatea was definitely not the first he saw with a lasting expression in their final moments. The Ultimen and Project Meta both showed their own share. Whether it was depression or anger, he could remember them all clearly. The only ones he hadn’t gotten a chance to see were Anna and XIII’s last moments. Though… he probably never noticed or learned to notice these things if not for the Joker. How many people had he killed that day in that facility? How many people has he ruined?

            It doesn’t change the fact Jason is vengeful or the fact he was grounded from joining any active duty until he was twenty. He could get why Jason reasoned the way he does, but as for his dad—no, his dad grounded him because he didn’t want him to get hurt like Jason and many others. Though, he has to ponder if his dear idiotic brother is having as much trouble with his mother with such matters.

 _It doesn’t matter_. Terry thought as Tim chattered away about dismantling the cloning equipment. When the time comes, the time comes. Rushing into things was pointless.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To Be Continued in Nights of Tomorrow


End file.
